T20 World Cup 2024: Jay Shah, Ajit Agarkar reach Ahmedabad to finalise India's 15-member squad

As the world prepares for yet another riveting cricketing extravaganza with the T20 World Cup 2024 approaching, there has been a lot of buzz going around India's 15-member squad for the upcoming tournament. Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Honorary Secretary Jay Shah and All India Men's Selection Committee chief Ajit Agarkar have reached Ahmedabad to decide the roster that will be touring West Indies and the USA later in June.

The selection panel will be headed by Agarkar, and the squad is expected to be announced soon, with the deadline being Wednesday, May 01. The Blue Army will be led by Rohit Sharma, and Hardik Pandya is expected to be announced as his deputy. Notably, Rohit will join the meeting through videoconferencing, as the Indian skipper is currently in Lucknow for match no. 48 of the Indian Premier League 2024 between Mumbai Indians and LSG.

Pandya, Kohli, Rahul to be key discussions during meet

It is no surprise that Hardik Pandya is having a tough time as Mumbai Indians' skipper in the current edition. The captaincy pressure has also taken a toll on his individual performances, as the premier all-rounder has amassed only 197 runs in nine matches so far. On the bowling front, Pandya has only four dismissals to his name, and the economy rate too remained at an underwhelming 9.07.

Meanwhile, star batter Virat Kohli holds the Orange Cap currently, with 500 runs at a staggering average of 71.43 and a strike-rate of almost 150. However, cricket pundits have had differentiated opinions regarding the inclusion of the 35-year-old as the potential top-order pick for the ICC tournament. Kohli's performances in previous T20 World Cups and red-hot form in the format, however, cannot be overlooked.

The wicketkeeper-batter race has been the biggest topic of discussion, as the names like Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant, and Sanju Samson are giving cut-throat competition to each other with their impressive performances in the IPL. However, LSG skipper KL Rahul is someone who has once again burst onto the scene with handful knocks for his franchise. Notably, the Mangaluru-born's strike-rate has been the best in the last five years of the league's history.

Also Read: England's Squad for T20 World Cup 2024: Full Player List and Squad Details

While the final call on the decision will be taken by the selection committee, some surprise picks may be seen when the fifteen names are announced.