T20 World Cup 2024: India's wicketkeeper for the tournament confirmed by Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh wants to Yashasvi Jaiswal to open with Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant to come in the middle-order for India at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. 

Half of the Indian team is all set to fly out to the USA, the co-hosting nation, by the 25th of May while the remaining contingent will fly after the IPL 2024 final. The first batch includes those players whose teams have not secured a top 4 finish in this year's points table.

Skipper Rohit Sharma will be joined by Rishabh Pant, vice-captain Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah among others. 

Yuvraj Singh reveals his ideal Indian top-order for the T20 WC 

Yuvraj Singh, who is one of the official brand ambassadors of ICC T20 World Cup 2024, disclosed his ideal Indian playing XI for the T20 World Cup 2024. Yuvi backed Rajasthan Royals' Yashasvi Jaiswal to pair along with skipper Rohit Sharma to have a right-hand-left-hand combination up front. 

Up next in the order, Yuvraj Singh wants India to retain their order of Virat Kohli at number 3 and Suryakumar Yadav at number 4. In the middle-order positions, Yuvraj did not name anyone but he wants the team management to have more leftie batters in the order. The former All-rounder feels the left-hand, right-hand combo will be tricky for the bowlers to bowl all the time.  

In terms of left-handers in the order, team India does have the likes of Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. But as of now, there's no confirmation on which player will make the cut. 

"I think Rohit and Jaiswal should definitely open. "Virat has been batting at number three and that's his position. You get Surya at four and then you got a couple of big options. I'd like to see a couple of left-hand, right-hand combinations because it is harder to bowl at two combinations all the time." - Yuvraj Singh said via ICC.com. 

Yuvi backs Rishabh Pant to make the cut ahead of Sanju Samson

The 2011 Cricket World Cup winner went on to further add that he wants to see a left-handed wicket-keeper batsman appear in the batting order. And it clearly means that for Yuvraj Singh, there's no spot for Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson. According to the former all-rounder, Rishabh Pant is the one who should appear in the middle-order. 

Yuvraj Singh then also gave an explanation as to why he doesn't want to see Sanju Samson in the middle-order. He stated that Rishabh Pant has the match-winning ability and despite Samson's form, Yuvi thinks Pant is the better option. 

"Obviously Sanju is also in great form, but Rishabh left-hander, and I believe that Rishabh has massive potential to win games for India, which he has done in the past." - Yuvraj Singh concluded. 

When does India begin their T20 World Cup campaign? 

Rohit Sharma's team India will begin their ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign on June 5th against Ireland. On June 9, India will take on Pakistan followed by clashes against the USA on June 12th and Canada on June 15th.