With the end of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, the focus for India has shifted towards the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, set to take place in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India will aim their second title of the tournament since earning it during the very first edition in 2007-season. They fell short during the 2022 season against England in the semifinal defeat at the Adelaide Oval ground.

India have gone with their experience duo of both Rohit and Virat Kohli, besides a veterans of Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya in all-round position. Jasprit Bumrah who missed the last T20 World Cup due to injury, will be the leader of the pace-bowling attack.

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‘If you could put Rinku, Gill and Rahul out, you are a strong team’ – Dilip Vengsarkar on India-squad

The most surprising news of the 15-member squad selection for India was the omission of Rinku Singh, whose batting at the lower middle order was so special and beneficial for the inaugural champions in the recent two to three years.

The national selectors also decided to leave out the likes of Shubman Gill and KL Rahul in the team. Both openers were in prime touch in the recent IPL 2024, but couldn’t find a place because of the availability of better players in the team.

The former Chairman of selectors, Dilip Vengsarkar shared his view on how well-balanced the India squad is looking going into the world event. He was in the post from February 2006 to September 2008, and was present at the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai’s function which happened at the iconic Wankhede Stadium.

Among speaking on various topics in the function, the former India batter touched on how he sees Indian squad for the T20 World Cup.

“The current Indian team, I think, is one of the best in the world, I would say. If you could, you know, put a (Shubman) Gill out or (KL) Rahul or Rinku Singh out, I’m sure it’s a very strong team,” Dilip Vengsarkar remarked during the function at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. “And I wish them all the success. Because, I think, it’s one of the best in the world at the moment.”

Rinku Singh has managed 356 T20I runs for India in 11 innings at an average of 89, and a strike rate of 176.23, with two half-centuries. In those 11 innings, the left-handed dynamic batter has already smashed 20 boundaries and seven over-boundaries.

Vengsarkar feels that in this shortest format of the game, on any given day against any given team, any team could end up being the winner if things work on their favor.

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“The key players would like to play an important role in this T20 World Cup. It’s very difficult to say in this format because everybody is a very important member of the team,” the 68-year-old observed. “But the thing is that, as you have seen in IPL, the first six were very important. How you give a good start in the first six was very important. And of course, in this format, anything can happen.”

“But I can’t say X, Y or Z is a key player in the team. In this format, anybody can win the match at any time of the match,” the veteran Mumbai batter concluded.

The Indian team has already reached New York and started their ground practice for the tournament. India will begin their campaign on June 05, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, against Ireland.