Legendary Indian opener Virender Sehwag has named his Indian playing XI for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, and his selections have sparked controversy. Notably, Sehwag has omitted Hardik Pandya, who has been the stand-in captain for the Indian team, from his playing XI. Instead, he has opted for either Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh as the lower middle order batter.
Sehwag’s other contentious choice is the inclusion of Sandeep Sharma in his bowling unit, ahead of Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar. Sharma has been in impressive form for Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing IPL, but his selection ahead of other talented pacers has raised eyebrows.
Sehwag has clarified that Pandya will still make it to the 15-member squad that India will pick later in April, but he has not included him in his starting lineup. Pandya has struggled with both bat and ball in the IPL this season, and his performances have been met with criticism from fans.
In addition to these eye-catching decisions, Sehwag has also named Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper of the side, ahead of Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan. Pant has been in good form in the IPL and won the Player of the Match award for his captaincy and keeping against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Sehwag’s spin bowling unit is comprised of only Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, excluding Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal, two bowlers who have impressed in IPL 2024. The exclusion of Patel and Chahal is another surprising aspect of Sehwag’s selections.
India’s 15-member T20 World Cup squad is expected to be announced around April 28th, and Sehwag’s choices have certainly created a buzz among cricket enthusiasts. It remains to be seen whether the selectors will align with Sehwag’s selections or make their own distinct choices.
