Rishabh Pant in action during IPL 2024© BCCI
With the T20 World Cup 2024 just a month and a half away, the competition for spots in India’s final 15-man squad for the tournament is heating up. The battle to make the cut as batters and bowlers for the T20 World Cup is intensifying with player performances under the scanner in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2024 season. Similarly, there have been plenty of question marks pertaining to who will don the wicket-keeping gloves for the Men in Blue in the 2024 T20 World Cup and here we have a look at a few players who are in contention to be India’s gloveman in the marquee 20-over ICC event.
Rishabh Pant
While Rishabh Pant’s T20I average of 22.43 and a strike rate of 126.37 doesn’t make for kind reading for the hard-hitting left-hander, it will be tough for selectors to ignore his current IPL 2024 form. Back on the field after more than a year away from cricketing action due to a serious accident at the end of 2022, Pant has looked as if he’s never been away from the game. Captaining Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, Pant is back with a bang and has been in splendid form. He’s made 210 runs in seven IPL 2024 matches with an average of 35 and a strike rate of 156.72. Pant’s also made two eye-catching fifties on his IPL return and is one of the favourites to be India’s wicket-keeper in T20 World Cup 2024.
Sanju Samson
Similar to Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson’s T20I record with India isn’t the best. Samson’s failed to impress in the limited number of opportunities that he’s received with the senior national team. The 29-year-old has managed 374 runs in 25 games at an average of 18.70 and a strike rate of 133.09. However, Samson has shown how explosive he can be with the bat in past IPL seasons and is currently fourth in the Orange Cap list having amassed 276 runs in seven games in the 2024 edition. He’s struck three fifties already, including a best of 82 not out against Lucknow Super Giants. Samson is averaging 55.20 and has a strike rate of 155.06 in IPL 2024, making him a red-hot contender for a spot in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad.
Ishan Kishan
After some time away from the game, Ishan Kishan has made a solid comeback to the cricketing scene in IPL 2024. An explosive left-handed wicket-keeper batter, Kishan last represented India in a T20I in November 2023 and has done decently for the Men in Blue in the 20-over format. He’s made 796 runs in 32 T20Is with an average of 25.67 and a strike rate of 124.37, including six fifties. IPL 2024 has seen Kishan perform well for Mumbai Indians having scored 184 runs in six games, including a best of 69 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He’s MI’s third-highest run-getter in IPL 2024 with 192 runs at a strike rate of 172.97 and has an outside chance of making India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad.
KL Rahul
The least likely player to make India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad among these players, KL Rahul needs to have a sensational second half in IPL 2024 to stand a chance of making the cut. Rahul last represented India in November 2022 and has decent numbers in T20Is having made 2,265 runs in 72 games at an average of 37.75 and a strike rate of 139.12. He’s also made 22 fifties and two hundreds in T20Is but hasn’t had the best of times in cricket’s shortest format in recent years. That said, if Rahul can substantially improve on his IPL 2024 tally of 204 runs from six games in the second half of the tournament, there are outside chances of sneaking into India’s T20 World Cup squad.
Topics mentioned in this article