Core team for T20 World Cup was decided before IPL 2024, reveals Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar revealed that IPL performances had less to do with the squad announcement for the 2024 T20 World Cup, as the selectors and the leadership group had already thought of the core team before the ongoing edition of the cash-rich league got underway. Following naming the final 15 for the 20-team-tournament starting June 2 in the Caribbean and the USA, Rohit and chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the media in Mumbai on Thursday (May 2).

Reflecting on the squad selection for the marquee event, Rohit said considering India is not playing any T20I in the lead-up to the tournament, and with the IPL presenting the only chance for the chosen players to get match practice, the leadership group decided on the core group and the playing XI in their heads before IPL 2024.

He added that there were intense talks and behind-the-scene preparations for the T20 World Cup during the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League.

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"Wesort ofmake your playing XI in your mind and try and work around it.A lotof the prep and the talk happen during the IPL, anda lotof these guys have been playing this format for a while.It'snot likethere'sanyone new. They all have been playing international cricket and the IPL. The talk of what our 15was going tobe like started much before the IPL,”Rohit said.

IPL is not the yardstick for selection

With 70-80% of the squad already decided, the selectors were looking at IPL 2024 performances for those remaining places up for grabs.

While most selections are on expected lines, the addition of Shivam Dube, Yuzvendra Chahal and most likely that of Yashasvi Jaiswal had more to do with their IPL 2024 outings.

"We just had to look at a few individuals during the IPL.In the IPL, the performance changesevery day, and youcan'treallychange your plan around it.We had an idea ofwhatour core group, 70-80 per cent of the squad before the IPL. And a few changes after that, we were prepared for that as well,"Rohit added.

As far as fans are concerned, they were shocked to see RinkuSingh’sabsence from the main squad, with the BCCI having him on board as part of the travelling reserves. However, like all participating teams, India can make amends to their final 15 till May 24.

Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (Vice Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohd. Siraj