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Pakistan targets right T20 combination against understrength New Zealand | Cricket

“Probably 50-60 runs short”: CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad after defeat against PBKS | Crickit

Danijones11 months ago05 mins

Chennai [India], : After a defeat against Punjab Kings at their home ground MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad felt his side was “50-60 runs short” during the match and highlighted that pitch was not that great but improved in the second half. “Probably 50-60 runs short”: CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad after defeat against PBKS Punjab Kings with an all-rounded performance, clinched a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk on Wednesday in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2024. HT launches Crick-it, a one stop destination to catch Cricket, anytime, anywhere. Explore now! After Lucknow Super Giants breached Chepauk, CSK’s fortress was breached for the second time in the ongoing season as CSK bowlers struggled to find their rhythm with dew majorly hindering them throughout the night. “Probably 50-60 runs short, the pitch wasn’t great when we batted, but it got better later on. With the impact rule as well, we were well short,” Gaikwad said in a post-match presentation. Talking about the toss, “I’ve practised the tosses , it’s not going well in the match, not sure what to do. To be truthful, I’m under pressure when I go to the middle .” The five-time champions registered a 78-run triumph over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday. “We were also surprised that we won by a big margin in the last match considering the conditions . I think the last two games, the conditions and pitch was better, it allowed us to fight hard and get to 200 , today, it wasn’t good enough to get to even 180,” Gaikwad added. On losing Deepak Chahar in the very first over, the CSK captain said that there are different phases when the team get a wicket and suddenly there are only 2 bowlers who can get a wicket. Chahar got injured after bowling just two deliveries in the opening over of the second innings. “It’s a real problem , there are phases where you want wickets, but you have only two bowlers, the dew took the spinners out of the equation. It was tough, but there were four games left and we will try and come back to winning ways,” he added. The vibrant yellow wave in the stands of Chepauk were reduced to silence after PBKS effortlessly chased down 163 with more than two overs to spare. Sam Curran’s decision to put CSK to bat turned out to be the correct decision as dew factor kicked in to become a hindrance for CSK bowlers in the second half of the match. Ruturaj Gaikwad led from the front and scored 62 off 48 deliveries and MS Dhoni provided the finishing touches at the death to power CSK to an unlikely 162/7. In reply, PBKS batters hardly broke sweat while chasing 163. Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw forged a 64-run stand to completely shifted the momentum in their favor. Curran and Shashank Singh applied the finishing touches to seal a 7-wicket win for PBKS. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Former India Stars Back Yashasvi Jaiswal To Be Rohit Sharma’s Opening Partner In T20 World Cup 2024

Danijones11 months ago08 mins

Former India cricketers Irfan Pathan and Mohammad Kaif have backed young Yashasvi Jaiswal to be captain Rohit Sharma’s opening partner for India in the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in West Indies and USA from June 1. Kohli has been leading run-charts in the IPL 2024 as an opener for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but him opening with Rohit for India in the T20 World Cup could result in teams having left-arm fast-bowler and left-arm spinner match-up. However, Pathan thinks Jaiswal opening with Rohit will help India tackle this match-up in the T20 World Cup. “It’s a question which has been floating around a lot. It should be Yashasvi Jaiswal – as he being a left-hander, what happens is, a team from a bowling point of view, will start with a left-arm spinner and when that happens, you can actually play these two batters. If Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli open, as there’s been a lot of talk about it, you can keep them quiet for a certain period of time. “If you do that, the game goes away, especially at the start and this is where a left-handed batter in Yashasvi Jaiswal comes into the picture. He’s aggressive and will take on the threat of left-arm spinner as well. So, I think Yashasvi should open with Rohit Sharma,” said Pathan while replying to an IANS query in the latest episode of ‘Star Sports Press Room’ show. The Rohit-Jaiswal combination though, will also result in Kohli batting at number three, which would mean his struggles against spin in the post power-play phase could resurface. But Kaif believes Kohli’s previous stupendous success for India in ICC tournaments at number three is still a very big factor. “I would see Jaiswal and Rohit opening, as Kohli has to be there at number three. Though he opens in the IPL, Kohli has done well in ICC events at number three. You need someone who has experience at number three and can bat through. With Yashasvi opening and Kohli in the dugout, there will be pressure on the opposition team that Virat is still to come out to bat.” “If he opens and the opposition gets him out, then it will be a big confidence booster for them. Jaiswal will attack from the first ball and Rohit Sharma also attacks in power-play, then it should be this way: Jaiswal, Rohit and Virat Kohli at number three,” he added. Pathan, the Player of the Match in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup final win over Pakistan in Johannesburg, was left disappointed over the non-inclusion of Rinku Singh and Ravi Bishnoi in the 15-member squad. Rinku, an in-form finisher for India in 15 T20I since his debut last year, is placed in the traveling reserves. “I am very disappointed that Rinku Singh is not there. It’s because Rinku Singh was playing a crucial role in finishing the game – he did it for his franchise (Kolkata Knight Riders) last year and when he played for India, he did that role as well.” “Once you have a strike-rate of 170 and have an average close to 60-70, and then not be picked, then you will be very disappointed. Bishnoi, I thought, despite that number six ranking, misses out to a master spinner like Chahal, though he’s got that fielding skill too. So, these were the two things I had in my mind on seeing this team.” At the same time, Pathan reckons India has to play their cricket in feisty fashion if they are to end a more than a decade drought of World Cup victory. “The guys, who have been selected, have to perform when the pressure time comes in. I am not worried about the first half; it’s about when the knockout matches will happen – this is where I want the Indian team to play fearless cricket which in the last two World Cups – 50-over and 20-over in Australia – we missed out on that.” Kaif agreed with Pathan’s views and felt India’s real examination will be to win knockout matches, something which they haven’t been able to do yet. “It’s a very balanced side, but this is not the IPL, where you play 14 league matches and come back to win the trophy even after losing games.” “In the World Cup, you will meet weaker teams in the initial phase of the tournament till you meet teams like Pakistan and England in the semi-finals. You need to win two big matches to win the trophy and are you ready for that big moment? India haven’t done that in the past and that’s the real challenge for Rohit Sharma.” India will begin their Men’s T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. India, the 2007 Men’s T20 World Cup winners, are in Group A alongside Pakistan, Canada and tournament co-hosts USA. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

Rs 1 Crore Bonanza For Ranji Stars, Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI Selectors To Play Big Part: Report

Danijones11 months ago04 mins

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering doubling the remuneration for domestic players. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the national selection committee, led by chairman Ajit Agarkar, has been tasked by the BCCI to help them implement this idea. The sole aim of the idea is to make sure that the non-IPL players do not feel deprived. Currently, the BCCI pays Rs 60,000 per day to a player who has played more than 40 Ranji games. Similarly, players get Rs 50,000 and Rs 40,000 a day respectively for playing 21-40 matches and 20 matches, respectively. Meanwhile, the reserve players earn Rs 30,000 and 20,000 a day in the respective categories. In total, a senior player can earn upto Rs 25 lakh if his side reaches the final with others in the side making between Rs 17 lakh and Rs 22 lakh. “It is understood that different plans are under consideration but there is unanimity among all concerned in the BCCI that the fees for the domestic cricketers has to be doubled at least,” the report claimed. The report also adds that BCCI is considering increasing the scale of payment between Rs 75 lakh and Rs 1 crore if a player features in 10 Ranji Trophy matches. The players will also earn more for playing in domestic white-ball tournaments such as Vijay Hazare and Mushtaq Ali. While there is no confirmation regarding this development, the report also reveals that the changes could be made as early as next season. The move will be aimed at encouraging the domestic players to take part in the Ranji Trophy, and also maximise the earning of the domestic stars who are not featuring in the IPL. Earlier this year, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced higher match fees for those playing Test matches. Praising the announcement, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar had suggested that fees for domestic cricketers be doubled or tripled. “If the Ranji Trophy fees can be doubled or tripled, certainly there’ll be a lot more people playing the Ranji Trophy, and a lot less pullouts from the Ranji Trophy, because if the fees of playing a Ranji Trophy match are a good fee, there will be fewer people pulling out for various reasons,” the cricket legend had stated last month. Topics mentioned in this article

Stoinis powers Lucknow to 6-wicket win over Chennai in IPL | Cricket

Danijones12 months ago04 mins

CHENNAI, India — Marcus Stoinis’ century canceled out Ruturaj Gaikwad’s hundred as Lucknow Super Giants beat Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday. Stoinis powers Lucknow to 6-wicket win over Chennai in IPL Stoinis scored 124 not out off 63 balls, including 13 fours and six sixes, as Lucknow put dewy conditions to good use to successfully chase down the highest IPL total at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. HT launches Crick-it, a one stop destination to catch Cricket, anytime, anywhere. Explore now! Rituraj Gaikwad was 108 not out as the hosts finished with 210-4 in 20 overs. Lucknow finished with 213-4 with three balls to spare. Stoinis’ maiden hundred spearheaded the chase for the Super Giants after their openers fell cheaply — Quinton de Kock was out bowled for a three-ball duck, while Lokesh Rahul scored 16 runs. Stoinis then countered with 50 off 26 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes. Impact player Devdutt Padikkal was a spectator at the other end, contributing only 13 runs in a 55-run partnership for the third wicket. The latter was out in the 11th over, and Nicholas Pooran walked out to smash 34 off 15 balls. He put on 70 off 34 balls with Stoinis and their partnership changed the game for Lucknow. Pooran fell after the strategic timeout, but Stoinis stayed on to the end to finish the job along with Deepak Hooda . In doing so, Stoinis brought up his maiden IPL century off 56 balls, finishing with the highest individual score in an IPL run-chase. Earlier, Gaikwad had powered his way through a second IPL century off 56 balls. He hit 12 fours and three sixes in his 60-ball knock, anchoring the Chennai innings after Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell fell cheaply. Ravindra Jadeja was promoted up again, but he was caught behind for 16 runs. Gaikwad was then aided by in-form Shivam Dube, who scored 66 off 27 balls. Dube hit seven sixes as he put on 104 runs off 47 balls with Gaikwad for the fourth wicket, taking Chennai past the 200-mark. It was in vain though, as the five-time champions lost a second game to Lucknow this season. Chennai is now down to fifth with eight points from eight games. Lucknow jumped over Chennai into fourth, with 10 points from five wins in eight games. cricket: /hub/cricket This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

IPL 2024: Rohit becomes first Indian to hit 500 T20 sixes, hits 2nd IPL ton in losing cause | Cricket

Danijones12 months ago12 months ago03 mins

Mumbai [India], : India and Mumbai Indians star batter Rohit Sharma became the first Indian to smash 500 sixes in T20 cricket. The ‘Hitman’ achieved this milestone during his side’s Indian Premier League match against Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede Stadium. Rohit was at his vintage best in the match, scoring 105* in 63 balls. His knock was studded with 11 boundaries and five sixes. Amid the fall of wickets around him, the former Mumbai Indians skipper held the fort at one end, blazing away at a strike rate of 166.67. With these sixes, Rohit’s six tally has gone up to 502 sixes. The highest number of sixes in T20 cricket is by West Indies legend Chris Gayle , followed by WI all-rounder Kieron Pollard , Andre Russell and Colin Munro . In six matches this IPL season, Rohit has scored 261 runs at an average of 52.20 and a strike rate of over 167, with a century. Coming to the match, MI won the toss and put CSK to bat first. After Ajinkya Rahane and Rachin Ravindra did not make much impact, Gaikwad and Shivam Dube stitched a 90-run partnership. Later, MS Dhoni came during the final over and a hat-trick of sixes took CSK to 206/4 in 20 overs. Hardik Pandya was the pick of the bowlers for MI. Shreyas Gopal and Gerald Coetzee got a wicket each. In the run-chase, MI was off to a fine start, with Ishan Kishan and Rohit having a 70-run partnership. Rohit managed to score his second IPL ton, but did not get much support from the other end, except for another fifty-run stand with Tilak Varma . The Blue and Gold franchise ended with 186/6 on the board, losing by 20 runs. Matheesha Pathirana was the pick of the bowlers for CSK. Mustafizur Rahman and Tushar Deshpande also got a wicket. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

No Ishan Kishan In Mohammad Kaif’s India Playing XI For T20 World Cup

Danijones12 months ago03 mins

File photo of Ishan Kishan.© AFP With less than two months left for the T20 World Cup 2024, the discussion about India’s squad for the tournament has picked up a lot of pace. While the core team is almost certain, there are some spots that are there for the grabing in the team. Experts and former cricketers have already stated putting forward their opinions regarding the players they think should be chosen for the mega event. Ex-India batter Mohammad Kaif too has picked his India XI and interestingly, omitted swashbuckling opener Ishan Kishan. Rising pace sensational Mayank Yadav also failed to find a spot in the playing XI. Kaif instead went with Yashasvi Jaiswal as an opener with India captain Rohit Sharma for the upcoming tournament. He picked the team on Star Sports’ show ‘Follow The Blues’ as quoted by Sportskeeda. “Yashasvi Jaiswal will open alongside Rohit Sharma. Then Virat Kohli at No. 3, Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4, Hardik Pandya at No. 5, and Rishabh Pant at No. 6,” said Kaif. To make sure there is enough batting firepower in the team, Kaif opted to pick more and more all-rounders. “I will keep a lot of all-rounders because you need batting depth. So I will say Axar Patel at No. 7 and Ravindra Jadeja at No. 8. After that, Kuldeep Yadav, who is a skillful bowler, at No. 9. Then two fast bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh. That makes it your XI,” Kaif explained. The T20 World Cup 2024 will kick off on June 1 with a match between United States and Canada in Texas. Meanwhile, the high-octane encounter between India and Pakistan will be played in New York on June 9. A total of 20 teams will be participating in the tournament with four groups of five-team each. The semi-finals of the tournament will be played on June 25 and 27 while the summit clash will be played on June 29. Topics mentioned in this article

"It's good news for Punjab as well as India": Aakash Chopra on Arsdeep Singh's performance | Cricket

IPL 2024: CSK-MI set to battle in a high-octane clash | Cricket

Danijones12 months ago05 mins

Mumbai [India], : As the Indian Premier League arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians meet in the high-stakes match at the Wankhede Stadium, all eyes will be on two of league’s biggest hitters, Shivam Dube from the Yellow Army and Suryakumar Yadav from the Blue and Gold side. HT Image MI and CSK will battle in a high-stakes ‘El Clasico’ of the IPL at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. CSK is in the third spot, with three wins and two losses, giving them six points. They had registered a win over Kolkata Knight Riders in their last game. On the other hand, MI is also picking up momentum, winning two games after three losses and is placed in the seventh spot. They had hammered Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their previous game. Unlock exclusive access to the story of India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Now, coming to Suryakumar, he has had a solid start to his IPL 2024 campaign. After a duck against Delhi Capitals , he scored a hard-hitting 52 in just 19 balls, with five fours and four sixes against RCB recently. Suryakumar has been successful for Mumbai, scoring 2,693 runs in 87 matches at an average of 34.97 with a strike rate of 147.40. He has scored a century and 21 fifties for the franchise. His overall IPL run tally is 3,301 runs in 141 matches at an average of 31.74 and a strike rate of 144.27, with a century and 22 fifties. But ‘Mr 360’ of Mumbai has had some struggles while tackling CSK. In 17 matches against the Yellow Army, he has scored 340 runs at an average of 26.15 and a significantly low SR of 117.24. He has scored just two fifties in 14 innings, with the best score of 71*. His last five innings against CSK are: 3, 3, 32, 1 and 26. Though CSK has a very good chance to keep their upper hand over Surya intact, they are playing in his territory this time around, where he has a fantastic record. Since 2023, the batter has scored 421 runs in nine innings at the venue at an average of 60.14, with a century and four half-centuries. His strike rate has been above 210. Chennai Super Kings Squad: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, Sameer Rizvi, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mustafizur Rahman, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Moeen Ali, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sindhu, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Mukesh Choudhary, Devon Conway, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prashant Solanki, Simarjeet Singh, RS Hangargekar, Matheesha Pathirana, Aravelly Avanish Mumbai Indians Squad: Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Shreyas Gopal, Jasprit Bumrah, Gerald Coetzee, Akash Madhwal, Dewald Brevis, Naman Dhir, Nehal Wadhera, Harvik Desai, Piyush Chawla, Kwena Maphaka, Shams Mulani, Luke Wood, Arjun Tendulkar, Kumar Kartikeya, Shivalik Sharma, Nuwan Thushara, Anshul Kamboj. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Pat Cummins’ cold-blooded ‘World Cup 2023’ throwback provokes Indian fans: ‘We paid him 20 crore in return’ | Cricket

Danijones12 months ago04 mins

Australia skipper Pat Cummins added salt to the Indian cricket fans’ wounds from last year as he revealed his favourite memory in India. Cummins, who is currently leading Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League 2024, hosted an Ask me a question session on Instagram as one fan asked him about his favourite memory in India. Pat Cummins led Australia to ODI World Cup glory last year.(REUTERS) Cummins posted the photo of the Australian team celebrating the ODI World Cup 2023 triumph over India in the final. Unlock exclusive access to the story of India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! The premier pacer led the Aussies to their record-extending sixth World Cup trophy on November 19 with a clinical 6-wicket win over India in front of a jam-packed Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The fans on social media reacted to Cummins’ Instagram story. The Aussie team put up a collective effort and outclassed India, who were enjoying an unbeaten streak before the final, as Cummins also managed to silence the Ahmedabad crowd by dismissing the hosts’ best batter Virat Kohli. Meanwhile, Cummins has also been impressive in his first stint as captain for Sunrisers Hyderabad thus far. He has led the Orange Army to three wins in five matches. SRH edged past Punjab Kings in their last match which was a last-ball thriller. After the win over PBKS, Cummins said it was a great game of cricket and despite PBKS bowling well in the start, SRH did well to reach 182 and defend it. He also pointed out that the ‘Impact Player’ rule deepens the batting. “If you get 150-160, you are going to lose nine out of ten games anyway. We knew the new ball was going to be a key time. We were pretty happy (with our score). We saw what happened with the new ball for them, so thought if me and Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) could start off with a wicket of wickets, it would be good. We have plenty of left-armers and right-armers, so just trying to give the bowlers the best chance of success,” Cummins said after the clash in Chandigarh. SRH will next clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Cummins and Co will enter the match as the favourites as RCB have been struggling miserably this season and currently placed at the bottom of the points table.

“What Have They Identified?”: CSK Coach Stephen Fleming’s Blunt T20 World Cup Message To BCCI

Danijones12 months ago06 mins

Former New Zealand captain and five-time IPL-winning coach Stephen Fleming believes that India should decide on their style of play for the upcoming T20 World Cup and pick the in-form players accordingly. India will head into this year’s T20 global showpiece in the Caribbean and the USA to make yet another bid to end their wait for an ICC trophy, which extended further after they lost to Australia in the final of the 50-overs World Cup last year. It has been more than 10 years since India last won a global competition, which has, in a way kept ageing stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the mix despite growing calls for the T20I side to be blooded with young talent. “The thing for me is, what type of game plan do they want to play during the World Cup? What have they identified as the right style of play for India in an away condition?,” Fleming said when asked if CSK’s all-rounder Shivam Dube is primed for India call-up for the World Cup. “Then put players into that rather than just picking players and trying to find a game plan. I would be looking at the style of play that I would want, and then pick the players that are in-form and can perform the role that will best win that design,” Fleming said on the sidelines of CSK’s training session ahead of their IPL match against Mumbai Indians. Fleming said the amount of sheer power which Dube generates is good enough to compel the selectors into looking at him as one of the prospects for the T20 World Cup. “It’s probably one of the hardest jobs in world cricket, isn’t it, being an Indian selector. On one hand, very jealous as a New Zealander looking at the amount of talent that is on show and new players every game sort of pop up,” he said. “I love his power. I’m biased, aren’t I? But I think when you have a bit different power like that; I would have him in the side,” Fleming said. The former Kiwi skipper said Dube is reaping the benefits of the work that he has put in to face different kinds of bowlers, which has complemented CSK in return given the rule changes in the IPL such as the introduction of the impact player. “A lot of work last year to be honest, working him into that role and trying to use the change of rules to our advantage. He did a lot of work mentally last year on what that would look like, and then it was about opportunity. How long an opportunity would take for us to realise his potential,” Fleming said. “Or more importantly, for him to realise how good he could be. Since then, he has gone to another level. He works hard on all aspects. I know there’s a short-ball aspect that has been much publicised. But there’s a lot more to him than that,” he added. Fleming once again mentioned Dube’s power-hitting which has been a standout factor in his batting. “If anything, it deflects away from other areas. He uses that predictability to his advantage now. I haven’t seen a guy hit it harder (and) consistently hit it harder.” “Some of the power he can generate both from spin and from seam bowling is quite unique. When he’s in form like this, he’s a real weapon for us during those middle overs,” the CSK head coach added. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

From Virat Kohli To Hardik Pandya: 5 T20 World Cup Selection Calls That Could Storm The World

Danijones12 months ago010 mins

It’s that time of the year again when India will get an opportunity to end their ICC trophy drought. The T20 World Cup 2024 is just around the verge with its participants gearing up for the marquee event scheduled to be held in the United States and the West Indies in June later this year. Whatever you say about prioritising domestic cricket or not, the ongoing IPL 2024 season will be more important for the T20 World Cup selection than any other domestic tournament. So, the high-profile T20 league will be crucial for contenders to stake claim in India’s 15-member T20 World Cup 2024 squad because there isn’t even a week between the IPL and the upcoming ICC T20 event. (IPL 2024 Points Table) Nearly a third of the IPL is over with a few contenders already making their mark in the league. Let’s first look at a few players that are reasonable certainties. Any such list should always begin with skipper Rohit Sharma, he will open the proceedings with Yashasvi Jaiswal. And once you bring back Rohit, there is no point in leaving Virat Kohli behind, knowing that India’s batting still revolves around him. The only other batter who will certainly fly to the West Indies and the United States is Suryakumar Yadav, considering his 17-ball fifty against RCB on his comeback. In addition to these star batters, Jasprit Bumrah is also a no-brainer for the ICC event. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja are most likely to cement their places in the spin department. Meanwhile, the return of Rishabh Pant and the rich form of Yuzvendra Chahal has also perplexed the Indian think tank. Ahead of the squad announcement, the selectors will be keenly looking for a handful of answers from IPL to their questions. Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at a few debate-stirring points on T20 WC squad selection. Seam-bowling all-rounder as sixth bowling option If fully fit and in form, Mumbai Indians’ new skipper Hardik Pandya is a definite starter. But the selectors will want to see what kind of role he plays for his IPL team. After five games this season, Hardik has scored 129 runs and has leaked runs at 11.12 in three innings. Meanwhile, Shivam Dube has had a wonderful start to the IPL 2024, with 176 runs in five innings at an impressive strike rate of 160, but he is yet to bowl in this IPL and that is what has thrown challenges to the selectors. However, it will be interesting to see how Shivam Dube will be accommodated in the playing XI. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant ready for T20 World Cup? PBKS batter Jitesh Sharma was the closest contender for the wicketkeeper role at the start of the IPL but the decision-makers would ideally have liked to see him a little more in international outings. However, the return of Rishabh Pant has cleared the doubts concerning his recent form in the IPL. The southpaw smashed 196 runs in six innings at 157.72. Pant has competition from the likes of Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan, who are likely to be vying for the second wicketkeeper slot in the squad. “Yeah look it’s great for Indian cricket, but it’s also great for Rishabh Pant. I think the work that has gone into his rehab to get back to that level of play at any standard is an amazing achievement. “He deserves a lot of credit for his hard work and it’s great to see him on the field, captaining and playing well, batting and keeping,” former Australia captain Michael Clarke was quoted as saying to IPL broadcaster Star Sports. Pant, who had surgery on his knee, has shown that he is ready to bat and keep. Does Virat Kohli deserve a place in the squad? Former India captain Virat Kohli is currently leading the Orange Cap list after amassing 319 runs in six matches at 79.75, including a century. There is no way he is going to be left out, despite some talks to the contrary about his ‘anchoring’ strike rate. Virat has been an absolute match-winner for India since his international debut. In T20 World Cups, he has accumulated 1,141 runs in 25 innings at an impressive average of 81.50 and a strike rate over 130. With an immense experience of 117 T20I matches, Virat’s presence in the middle order as an anchor will only provide balance alongside the swashbuckling and aggressive styles of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Rinku Singh, and Shivam Dube. Pace bowlers apart from Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah is there for sure. He will be leading India’s pace battery in the T20 World Cup. But, India needs two more quicks in the starting XI for the ICC event. With Mohammed Shami out of contention due to injury and Bhuvneshwar Kumar not in India’s T20 schemes since the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup, no one is closer to Bumrah in terms of quality and experience. The last squad that played against Afghanistan featured Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar. One of the all-format pacers, Mohammed Siraj has been conceding runs at 10.40 in the ongoing IPL with only four scalps to his name after six matches. Lucknow Super Giants’ pace sensation Mayank Yadav was somewhere in the talks of making the squad but he still needs a handful of international matches to prove his worth. With India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 likely to be announced in the last week of April, these contenders have limited opportunities to impress and partner Bumrah in the fast bowling department. Who are the death-over hitters? Finishers auditioning for the aforementioned role must be able to strike 180 or more in overs 17 to 20. For that role, no one can go beyond Rinku Singh, at least in the T20 format. The southpaw has smashed 356 runs in 11 T20I innings at a whopping strike rate of 176.23. There is no reason to keep him…