T20 WC 2024: Hardik Pandya OUT, Dinesh Karthik Wicketkeeper- Ambati Rayudu lists his India squad

As the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prepares to finalize India's squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024, former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu named his squad for the mega event. The BCCI is expected to unveil India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad by next week.

The T20 World Cup 2024 is scheduled to be co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies from June 2 to 29, and Ambati Rayudu has already unveiled his 15-member India squad for the showpiece event.

Rayudu surprised many by picking Dinesh Karthik as his wicketkeeper for the mega event, despite not being in the scheme of things for a long time now. Players like Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Jitesh Sharma, Dhruv Jurel, and KL Rahul are all eyeing the wicketkeeper-batter’s spot in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad.

Ambati Rayudu picks Dinesh Karthik as his wicketkeeper

But the former Indian batter decided to go with the experience of Karthik. Another surprise name in Rayudu’s T20 World Cup squad is the uncapped pacer Mayank Yadav. Well, his top order is well-expected, and his team is comprised of a well-mixed mixture of young blood and experienced lads in the form of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah.

Rayudu named Rohit Sharma as his captain and picked Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Riyan Parag, and Rinku in his batting line-up for the upcoming multi-nation tournament. He then went on to name Dinesh Karthik as his keeper, given his experience behind the stump and form with the bat for the RCB in the ongoing IPL 2024.

The former MI and CSK batter picked in-form all-rounders Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja, leaving out the struggling Hardik Pandya, in his team for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Pandya is badly struggling to get back to his best with both bat and ball, and his selection is under dark clouds.

Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal are in Ambati Rayudu's spin attack

Rayudu went with the spin specialists in the form of well-known 'KulCha' Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who are in red-hot form with the ball in the ongoing IPL 2024. At the end, Rayudu’s fast-bowling attack for the T20 World Cup 2024 is comprised of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Mayank Yadav.

Notably, India's all-group stage matches at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 will take place in the USA, starting on June 5 in New York against Ireland, and then a highly anticipated clash against the arch-rivals Pakistan at the same venue on June 9.

India will next lock horns against the United States on June 12 in New York and will play their group match against Canada at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill, Florida. India is placed alongside Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, and the United States in Group A.

Here’s Ambati Rayudu’s Predicted T20 World Cup 2024 Squad:

Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Riyan Parag, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Shivam Dube, Mayank Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.

Ambati Rayudu picks his Indian team for the T20I World Cup on Star Sports. pic.twitter.com/O3JlABssWg

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 24, 2024