December 23, 2024
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BCCI

PCB proposes February 19 start for Champions Trophy 2025, rejects hybrid model for India’s matches | Cricket News

PCB proposes February 19 start for Champions Trophy 2025, rejects hybrid model for India’s matches | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has put forward a proposal for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 to commence on February 19 and be hosted entirely in Pakistan. The PCB has firmly rejected the idea of a hybrid model for India’s matches, similar to the arrangement made for the Asia Cup 2023.According to the PCB’s proposed schedule, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will span from February 19 to March 9, 2025, with all matches taking place in three major Pakistani cities: Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore.Sources within the PCB have revealed that International Cricket Council (ICC) officials, who recently visited Pakistan to assess the preparations for the tournament, have expressed their satisfaction with the arrangements in place.Notably, the PCB has taken a strong stance against the idea of a hybrid model, particularly for India’s matches, insisting that all games should be played on Pakistani soil.This stance is likely to elicit a focused response from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which had previously suggested a hybrid model where India’s matches would be played at neutral venues outside of Pakistan, similar to the arrangement made during the Asia Cup 2023, when India’s matches were relocated to Sri Lanka.However, Pakistan remains firm in its position, desiring all matches, including those involving India, to be played within its borders.“We have not opted for the hybrid model. However, we have given this leverage that India’s matches can be played in Lahore only. This way, the team will not be required to move around cities within Pakistan and its security can be well maintained in Lahore”, said a source in the PCB.“India can be based in Lahore for the entire tournament. This would minimise logistical and security complications associated with their travel between cities”, the source added.The Indian team might find it more convenient and less challenging to participate in matches, as the special arrangement would allow them to play in a single city. This could potentially simplify their travel and logistical requirements throughout the tournament.“The proximity of Lahore to Wagah Border crossing is also going to be more suitable for the Indian fans. However, the question remains, if India would accept and participate in the event”, the PCB source said.According to the PCB’s suggested itinerary for the Champions Trophy, Karachi will host a minimum of three matches, including the tournament opener and a semifinal.Lahore is set to stage at least seven matches, with the final being one of them. Rawalpindi will be the venue for no fewer than five matches, which includes a semifinal.It is worth noting that the Indian cricket team has not set foot in Pakistan since their participation in the 2008 Asia Cup. The decision regarding India’s travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy will be made by the Indian government, which has been opposed to the cricket team crossing the border due to Pakistan’s alleged involvement in supporting terrorism within India’s borders.The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy will mark the first time Pakistan has been the sole host of a major international cricket event. In the past, Pakistan shared hosting duties with India and Sri Lanka for the 1996 Cricket World Cup, and prior to that, co-hosted the Reliance Cup alongside India in 1987.(With IANS inputs)

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Virat Kohli joins Indian team for T20 World Cup campaign | Cricket News

Virat Kohli joins Indian team for T20 World Cup campaign | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli, India’s top batsman, reached New York on Friday to join his team for the upcoming T20 World Cup. His arrival comes five days after the rest of the Indian squad landed in the city.However, there is still uncertainty surrounding Kohli’s participation in the warm-up match against Bangladesh, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday. “Virat Kohli has checked in at the team hotel and after a long flight, he would be taking rest,” a senior BCCI source confirmed his arrival.After a lengthy 16-hour journey to reach the ‘Big Apple’, Kohli’s involvement in the practice match will hinge on his personal inclination and readiness to face the Bangladesh team at the Nassau County Cricket Ground.With an impressive tally of 741 runs in 15 IPL matches, Kohli’s need for additional match practice is minimal. Moreover, he is scheduled to participate in three high-quality net sessions prior to the opening encounter against Ireland on June 5.Friday morning saw an optional training session, during which Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Mohammed Siraj put in the hard yards under the watchful eyes of the support staff.The team management and the BCCI have a history of granting special considerations to Kohli regarding his joining the national squad. In a previous instance, he was allowed a break before the South Africa Test series, arriving in the “Rainbow Nation” only to depart for the UK due to personal matters before eventually rejoining the team.Kohli prioritized family over cricket earlier this year when he opted out of the entire Test series against England at home to be present for the birth of his second child.As the Indian team prepares for the upcoming T20 World Cup, the players have been arriving in batches. The first group landed on May 25, while the second contingent reached on May 28.Although Kohli has been absent from three training sessions so far, the team management remains unconcerned. They acknowledge that the legend knows his stuff and his routines won’t be tinkered with, demonstrating their trust in Kohli’s ability to prepare himself adequately for the tournament.(With PTI inputs)

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'Fair character', 'has the fire', 'can infuse winning culture': Gautam Gambhir can be the kind of coach India need | Cricket News

‘Fair character’, ‘has the fire’, ‘can infuse winning culture’: Gautam Gambhir can be the kind of coach India need | Cricket News

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While it has been widely reported that former India opener Gautam Gambhir as the new India coach is a ‘done deal’, an official announcement on the team’s new boss replacing Rahul Dravid might take a few more days to come. But experts have no doubt left that Gambhir is the kind of character who has the fire inside him to take the Indian team to new heights.Among his most recent successes, Gambhir took over the role of Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) mentor just before IPL 2024 and turned out to be the chief architect of KKR’s third triumph in the T20 league. It only added to his credentials as a mentor, after he had taken Lucknow Super Giants to the playoffs in two successive editions, before making a move to join KKR in a similar role. “What a record he has had as a coach!” said the former wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, who announced his retirment after IPL 2024, on Cricbuzz. “Being a mentor for LSG, two years on the bounce qualifying (for playoffs), comes to KKR and they say, ‘Please, you got to do something special for us’. Ends up winning the trophy.” It was effectively Gambhir’s third IPL title in KKR colours. When the team won its two titles in 2012 and 2014, Gambhir was the KKR captain. “He has been at the helm, taken all the decisions (for KKR), be it sending (Sunil) Narine opening or getting Mitchell Starc in the auction — in all of those big recruits and getting the right team, the right balance, and then taking all the shots,” Karthik, who has previously played for KKR in the IPL, said.“I am seeing in the news that he could be part of the Indian team (chief coach) as well, and I really wish he does. He has that fire in him,” Gambhir added. Gambhir’s track record as a player and coach/mentor reflects that he knows what it takes to win big tournaments. Besides three IPL titles with KKR, Gambhir was part of the team under MS Dhoni when India won the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup.Karthik believes that Gambhir has put things in such proper order at KKR that even if he has to leave the job and take up the role of India’s chief coach, KKR remain well placed to excel in the next IPL season as well. “I think he has really built a good (KKR) team, one that will have a lot of players retained and he has left them in a very, very good place. And if he gets the opporunity (India coach), I really wish he takes it. Being part of the national team and the patriotism that he has, I think he will definitely be tempted to take it and I really wish he comes in because he will infuse that winning culture he has infused here (at KKR),” reckoned Gambhir. “India would do very well under him because I feel he has that fire that is required.“When it comes to KKR, whenever he is back (after stint as India coach), they will take him back with open arms. But I do believe he has left Shreyas Iyer and the team in a much better place than it was when he took it (mentorship role).” Former New Zealand pace Simon Doul was also part of the discussion on Cricbuzz, and fully agreed with Karthik’s opinion.“Those (Gambhir) are the kind of people you want at the helm — highly respected, tough. He is a tough character, but I think he is very fair character and I think he’ll do a great job if he were to take over, if he were to accept the role,” said Doull.The tenure of current India coach, Rahul Dravid, will end after the T20 World Cup in June.

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T20 World Cup: In Team India's first practice session, Hardik bowls for almost an hour; Rohit, Suryakumar focus on getting used conditions | Cricket News

T20 World Cup: In Team India’s first practice session, Hardik bowls for almost an hour; Rohit, Suryakumar focus on getting used conditions | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Team India got their T20 World Cup preparations underway with their first training session in New York on Thursday that lasted three hours.Having landed in the US on May 27, the team had a couple of off days to overcome the jet lag and get used to the weather and conditions. After a light training session session a day before, the Indian team on Thursday hit the nets and meant serious business as skipper Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were seen batting against likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. In focus Hardik too had gruelling training session with both bat and ball. The all-rounder was first seen bowling in the nets for almost an hour and then went hard after the bowlers while batting. The 30-year-old also had a long chat with batting coach Vikram Rathour during the net session. In unusual scenes, tailenders Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singht were seen focussing on their batting skills while all the all-rounder Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Hardik trained with both bat and ball. Yuzvendra Chahal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Avesh Khan and Rinku Singh, who arrived late in New York featured only in light training drills. The focus of the training session revolved around getting used to the pitch conditions that had considerable bounce in it.India play their first warm-up game against Bangladesh on Saturday.

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'Choose wisely': Sourav Ganguly makes veiled comment as BCCI hunt for new India coach | Cricket News

‘Choose wisely’: Sourav Ganguly makes veiled comment as BCCI hunt for new India coach | Cricket News

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With Rahul Dravid‘s tenure as India coach ending after the T20 World Cup in June, the hunt for India’s new head coach has already gathered pace, with reports suggesting BCCI’s interest tilted towards Kolkata Knight Riders’ mentor and former India opener Gautam Gambhir. However, in a post on X on Thursday, former BCCI president and India captain Sourav Ganguly seemed to have indirectly advised the BCCI to “choose…wisely”.“The coach’s significance in one’s life, their guidance, and relentless training shape the future of any person, both on and off the field. So choose the coach and institution wisely…” Ganguly wrote on ‘X’.Ever since Gambhir guided KKR to their third IPL title, he has been tipped to take over from Dravid. It was under Gambhir’s captaincy that the Kolkata franchise won its two previous titles in 2012 and 2014. He returned to KKR as mentor ahead of the 2024 edition, after a similar role with Lucknow Super Giants, and the move played a crucial role in KKR’s triumphant run this season.Monday (May 28) was the last date to apply for the job of Team India’s chief coach and BCCI secretary Jay Shah meeting Gambhir after KKR’s title triumph made the speculations gain strength.A recent report in Cricbuzz has stated that Gambhir’s appointment is almost certain and negotiations are underway on multiple fronts. “A very high-profile owner of an IPL franchise, who is very close to the BCCI top brass, said that Gambhir’s appointment is a done deal and the announcement will come soon. A high profile commentator, who is very clued to the happenings in the BCCI said efforts are being made to rope in Gambhir. The fact that an announcement has not yet come suggests that negotiations are underway on multiple fronts — between the two parties and, perhaps, with some others too,” the report said.The BCCI secretary also refuted reports saying the board has approached Australian cricketers, namely Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer, for the role. “Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer. The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect,” Shah said in a statement.

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Virat Kohli: T20 World Cup: Uncertainty looms over Virat Kohli's participation in warm-up match | Cricket News

Virat Kohli: T20 World Cup: Uncertainty looms over Virat Kohli’s participation in warm-up match | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Star batter Virat Kohli remains the only player from India’s T20 World Cup squad who has yet to arrive in the USA. While the other 18 cricketers, including four reserves, began their training session in New York on Wednesday, Kohli’s arrival is still pending.Kohli was recently seen in Mumbai with his wife Anushka Sharma and former India cricketer Zaheer Khan and he has reportedly requested an extended break after the grueling two-month-long Indian Premier League. “There has been no update on his travel status from the BCCI yet,” reported ESPNCricinfo. Kohli last played on May 22 in the IPL Eliminator, where his team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, was knocked out by Rajasthan Royals.According to PTI, Kohli is expected to reach New York on Friday. “Kohli took a break for personal work after RCB’s IPL ouster and in all likelihood, he will join the squad by Friday,” the news agency stated.However, doubts remain about Kohli’s availability for India’s only warm-up match against Bangladesh on Sunday, June 1. “It is not clear if he would be able to take part in the only warm-up game against Bangladesh on Saturday after a long flight,” PTI wrote.Kohli had a stellar IPL season, winning the Orange Cap for the second time with 741 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 154.70.India will start their campaign on June 5 against Ireland in New York, followed by a highly anticipated match against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 9. They will face hosts USA on June 12 before moving to Lauderhill, Florida, for a game against Canada on June 15.

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Virat Kohli's childhood coach suggests MS Dhoni for India's head coach role; Gautam Gambhir remains the front-runner | Cricket News

Virat Kohli’s childhood coach suggests MS Dhoni for India’s head coach role; Gautam Gambhir remains the front-runner | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: With the deadline to apply for the Indian men’s cricket team’s head coach role ending on May 27, speculation is rife about who will replace Rahul Dravid. BCCI secretary Jay Shah hinted that the new head coach is likely to be an Indian, with reports suggesting Gautam Gambhir as the top contender. However, Virat Kohli‘s childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, has floated the idea of MS Dhoni taking up the role.Speaking to India News, the Dronacharya awardee coach expressed his views on Dhoni being an ideal candidate. “First of all, it will be interesting to see which names apply for this post. I would like that whoever becomes the coach should be an Indian. If Mahendra Singh Dhoni announces retirement, he can prove to be a good option. He (Dhoni) has played a lot of cricket and has won big tournaments,” Sharma said.While Dhoni has not officially announced his retirement from the IPL, his future remains uncertain. The IPL 2024 was speculated to be his final season, but the Chennai Super Kings legend has kept everyone guessing. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanath even stated that he expects Dhoni to return for another season.Sharma emphasized Dhoni’s potential impact as a coach, citing his experience and respect within the team. “Dhoni will have more respect in the dressing room and he has played this format for a long time. Being able to plan for the team and manage it properly is most needed in the team because when Dhoni became the captain, there were big players in that team like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Gautam Gambhir, and Yuvraj Singh. Despite this, Dhoni handled the team brilliantly,” Sharma added.Dhoni previously worked with the Indian team as a mentor during the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, showcasing his potential as a guiding figure for the team. As Dravid’s contract ends this year after the T20 World Cup, the appointment of his successor is highly anticipated.Gambhir, who recently mentored Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title, is seen as a strong candidate for the head coach position. His success with KKR and experience as a former India player make him a compelling choice.

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Do Rohit Sharma's men have enough to end ICC title drought? – India TV

Do Rohit Sharma’s men have enough to end ICC title drought? – India TV

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Image Source : GETTY Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid during the Asia Cup 2023 in Colombo in September 2023 Indian cricket team will once again enter the T20 World Cup 2024 as title favourites despite heartbreaking exits in the recent ICC events. Rohit Sharma is set to lead a strong 15-member squad for the ninth edition of the tournament in the USA and West Indies starting on June 1.  Team India last played a T20I game against Afghanistan in January this year where they needed a super over to defend 212 runs in Bengaluru. But, the Men in Blue rank first in the current ICC T20I team rankings and are tipped to mount a strong title challenge in a 20-team tournament. With the squad finalised and players starting their final preparations with a training camp in New York, let’s analyse Team India’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ahead of the World Cup 2024. Strengths – Unassailable batting unit The majority of the selected players, especially batters, displayed remarkable form in the recently concluded Indian Premier League 2024 and will be under focus as team India’s biggest strength in the upcoming World Cup. Virat Kohli emerged as the highest run-scorer as he continues to show brilliant form in white-ball cricket. Kohli further changed his approach in the IPL 2024 by maintaining a strike rate over 150 and hitting the second-highest 38 sixes. Kohli’s form has also led many to suggest the batter should open with skipper Rohit at the World Cup. Rohit struggled for consistency in the IPL 2024 despite finishing as the leading run-getter for his Mumbai Indians franchise. Both Rohit and Kolhi will be leading the strong batting lineup which consists of the world’s no.1 T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav, in-form wicketkeeper batters Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant, and youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal. Image Source : BCCI/IPLVirat Kohli during the IPL 2024 Weaknesses – Lack of finishers  Despite strong form in the IPL 2024, none of the selected members made it to the final of the tournament and notably struggled to display consistency after the selection for the World Cup. Shivam Dube displayed remarkable hitting skills in the first half of the season but registered only 46 runs in five innings in May. With fit-again Hardik Pandya returning to T20I setup, Dube’s role as middle-order batter or finisher is not clear at the moment.  Dube’s form and a lack of finishers in the current squad might be an early red flag for the management. All-rounders Hardik and Ravindra Jadeja were not convincing enough with their finishing touches in the recent IPL 2024 and that is likely to get exposed if the top-order fails to impress.  India’s other weakness is the lack of international cricket heading to the World Cup. Having last played T20Is against Afghanistan in January, the team faces Bangladesh in the only warm-up game scheduled on June 1. All participating players were heavily involved in the recent IPL but haven’t played together as a unit for quite some time.  Opportunities – Dube and Samson to step up Indian squad for the World Cup is well-balanced with experience and potential. Yashasvi Jaiswal witnessed a rapid rise in red-ball cricket during the England series and now has the best chance to make a similar impact in white-ball cricket as well.  It will be interesting to see if Rohit and Rahul Dravid go with either Rishabh or Sanju for the wicketkeeping role as both impressed in the recent IPL. Samson was slightly ahead in terms of stats and might get a nod to don the wicketkeeping gloves.  Image Source : BCCI/IPLShivam Dube during the IPL 2024 Samson and Dube are set to feature in their maiden World Cup and have a perfect opportunity to shine and cement their places in the Indian team. Both displayed their versatility in playing positions and skills to adapt to playing conditions accordingly with mature batting in IPL 2024 and will be eager to carry that momentum in the World Cup.  Threats – What if Jasprit Bumrah fails to replicate IPL 2024 form? Speaking about India’s bowling, the management surprisingly picked only three pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh and four strong spin options. Bumrah did what he does best in the IPL 2024 by taking 20 wickets in 13 innings at a notable economy rate of 6.48.  Bumrah’s heroics didn’t save Mumbai Indians from finishing at the bottom but his impact made Indian cricket team fans feel safe going into the ICC tournament. Arshdeep picked 19 wickets but at an economy rate of over 10 and Siraj bagged 15 wickets in 14 innings. India will be in serious trouble if Bumrah fails to carry his red-hot form in the World Cup, as India face very limited bowling options.  So, a well-fortified batting unit to a lack of finishers to over-reliance on Jasprit Bumrah sums up the analysis of team India ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

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Jay Shah explains Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer's BCCI contracts exit: I am just a convener

Jay Shah explains Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer’s BCCI contracts exit: I am just a convener

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The BCCI secretary Jay Shah said the omission of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the list of centrally-contracted players was completely decided by chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar. Kishan and Iyer were left out after failing to attend domestic engagements despite a BCCI mandate. While Kishan took a long sabbatical after the ODI World Cup last year and was unavailable until the IPL, Iyer did play a few Ranji Trophy matches for Mumbai, including the semifinals and final. However, Iyer found himself on the receiving end after it was revealed that he had attended a KKR camp in Mumbai while his home team was playing a Ranji Trophy match. “You can check the constitution. I am just a convener (of the selection meeting),” he said during a media interaction at the BCCI head office on Thursday. “That decision lies with Ajit Agarkar, even when these two players (Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer) who did not play domestic (cricket), the decision to drop them (from the central contracts list) was only his. My role is just to implement. And we have got new players (in place), like Sanju (Samson). Nobody is indispensable,” he added. In the days leading up to the contract snub, Jay Shah stated before the third Test between India and England in February this year that he would fully support the chief selector’s decision to take action against players who do not meet the Indian captain and team management’s requirements for participation in domestic cricket. Shah claimed he communicated with the players following their removal. “Yes, I had spoken with them. Media had even carried the reports,” he said. “Even Hardik (Pandya) said if BCCI is considering me for white-ball, then I am ready to play Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Any player will have to play, even if they do not want to, they will have to,” Jay Shah continued. When asked about high scores in this year’s IPL, Shah stated that it all boils down to who is playing well and who can sustain performance. ” Whoever plays well in the IPL… like say Ishan Kishan, he finds it difficult to take part with the Indian team but he can play in Mumbai Indians as a player. There he can play in a relaxed manner. In Team India, you have to prove yourself, give back to back performances. The one who can handle that can be described as a right player,” he added. Shah also revealed details of his conversation with Kishan, which took place after Mumbai Indians’ match against Gujarat. “No, I did not advise him anything. It was just a friendly talk that he should do well and I speak with all players like that,” he said. Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: May 10, 2024

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Rinku Singh: T20 World Cup: Why India needed a Rinku-first policy | Cricket News

Rinku Singh: T20 World Cup: Why India needed a Rinku-first policy | Cricket News

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In a press conference explaining Team India‘s selection for the World Cup, BCCI‘s chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that Rinku Singh was “the toughest thing to discuss…it was all about the combination we wanted.” The chief selector meant that the committee did its best but it couldn’t find Rinku a place considering the big picture. It also came to light that captain Rohit Sharma wanted four spinners for the squad which had reduced the options for the selectors.A day later, former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly shared a similar view.What’s clear from these statements is that the 26-year-old batter from Aligarh wasn’t thought of as an automatic selection. Rather, he was at best considered as the last possible player for the 15-member squad, and later consigned to the reserves. Here’s why such a thought process is erroneous. India won the T20 World Cup for the first and last time in 2007, the year before IPL arrived. In the seven editions, thereafter, it has entered the final only once (2014) and semifinal twice (2016 & 2022). England, West Indies, even Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoy better records than India. A key reason behind these failures is the team’s inability to produce its best cricket in high pressure knock-out games in the World Cup. Most players considered essential by the selectors are the same blokes who have been unable to perform time and again in these matches. That’s why India needed a Rinku-first policy. Here was a journeyman who emerged from the shadows to capture national spotlight delivering wins from near-impossible situations in IPL 2023 and, of late, in T20Is to become India’s elusive 911 man. On recent international performance and making a comparative assessment of his temperament in tough situations with other so-called ‘undroppables’, his selection should have been the easiest, not the “toughest” decision to make. How many proven – not on paper — finishers in T20Is, especially in tough situations, does this team’s lower batting order have?Let’s walk the talk with hard statistics. Rinku has played 15 T20Is, batted in 11 innings, remained unbeaten in 7. Barring a couple of games, he made invaluable contributions improving the team’s situation in each of them. His strike rate is 176; average 89. No surprise former internationals such as Kris Srikkanth, Irfan Pathan and Ambati Rayudu have also spoken up over his non-inclusion. His freewheeling undefeated 37 off 14 balls gave India the edge in a crucial Asian Games tie against Nepal. Nepal scored 179/9 in the game; India won by just 23 runs, and in retrospect, Rinku’s input was critical.Against Australia in Thiruvananthapuram last November, Rinku blitzkrieged an unbeaten 31 off 9 deliveries. The innings underlined that he could move into fifth gear at a moment’s notice. In the same series, he smashed 46 off 29 balls, the highest score in the team with the second highest run rate. India won that game too. Then again, last December against South Africa in faraway Gqeberha, his unconquered 68 off 39 balls was the side’s highest score with the highest strike rate.In Bengaluru this January, in his last international game against Afghanistan, Rinku was outstanding in a tough situation. Coming in to bat with India 22/4, he produced in tandem with Rohit Sharma an unbeaten game-changing partnership of 190. It is surprising that Rohit, who scored an unbeaten 121 (off 69) in that nerve-jangling game, couldn’t place him among 15.In all these knocks as well as in IPL 2023, Rinku’s batting displayed calm, power and situational awareness. He found a way to outwit bowlers, mould his shotmaking to the situation.If Rinku’s recent IPL form was a reason for his omission, what about several other selected players whose form seems to be getting worse with every passing game? That aside, there’s a lack of consistency in selection logic. If Dube, who averages nearly 40 and has a strike rate of 145 in T20Is, was rewarded for his superlative IPL show, why isn’t medium pacer T Natarajan even in the reserves. His current IPL stats — wickets, economy rate, strike rate – as well as ball control and ability to bowl at the death is superior to the chosen ones.Team India may or may not perform well at the forthcoming World Cup beginning in June. But irrespective of the result, the omission of Rinku Singh will remain a case of grave injustice.

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