The decision to trust the big boys to turn around their own T20 template and that of Indian cricket was taken in January itself with the recall of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. After that roll of the dice, it was inevitable that there would be a casualty from the World Cup squad where only 15 can go. Rinku Singh, 26, one of India’s brightest T20 batting finds and an ace finisher, became that unlucky name to miss out when the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee finalised India’s squad in Ahmedabad on Tuesday for the June tournament in the West Indies and USA.

Other than that, the long wait to feature in a World Cup for Rajasthan Royals’ Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal ended with them being handed a maiden chance in India’s provisional squad.

On the face of it, Rinku’s position has gone to Axar Patel – one of the four spinners India have picked. It may also appear that Shivam Dube’s robust IPL knocks meant he edged out Rinku. But it’s India’s unidimensional top order – it's bane in the last two World Cups – that forced the hand of the selectors. None from captain Rohit, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav can turn their arm over. This being the case, it was decided to create room for an additional all-rounder as a contingency.

Rinku was a regular in bilateral matches played before IPL and delivered runs at a strike-rate of 215 in the death overs. Carrying an end-overs finisher became a luxury they could ill-afford in a set-up with limited all-round resources. For the same reason, Dinesh Karthik’s death-overs finishing innings in IPL 2024 (SR 224) were not considered.

“Rinku’s IPL form has certainly got nothing to do with it,” a source close to the selection committee said. “When you sit to jot down 15, you need more bowling options. It wasn’t possible to take another player with single skills in the lower order.”

That extra all-rounder is Axar Patel. Like-for-like for Ravindra Jadeja, but someone who can act as a cover and potentially be used as a floater with the bat, for specific matches. There’s also some concern around Hardik Pandya’s form, which is where Dube and Axar’s secondary skills act as cover. Yet, by naming the Mumbai Indians skipper as vice-captain, the selectors have by and large reposed faith in the all-rounder.

Rishabh Pant’s endearing comeback story only got better with the left-handed batting dynamo picked as ‘first-choice wicketkeeper', the source confirms. Pant’s T20I numbers though are not very exciting (987 runs, SR 126.37) and Samson (374, 133.09) is more than capable, if there is an opening, with his superior spin-hitting prowess.

ONLY THREE PACERS

The pace-bowling stocks are concerning with only three pacers picked and no one in IPL able to push Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh enough to warrant a place. Avesh Khan and left-armer Khaleel Ahmed have been named as travelling reserves. Siraj has been trusted for his dual ability with the new ball and at the death and chosen for his experience to back-up spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, with Mohammed Shami out injured. Left-arm seamer T Natarajan wasn’t picked given his injury-ridden past.

CHANGE OF HEART ON CHAHAL

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is a surprise pick as pre-meeting discussions suggested they would go for Ravi Bishnoi’s faster leg-breaks and googlies. Chahal is IPL’s all-time highest wicket-taker – he is also India’s top T20I wicket-taker with 96 scalps – and had staked his claim even for the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups. But he was considered ‘too slow’.

There appears to be a change of heart, in anticipation of pitches in the Caribbean for the Super 8 phase. The Indian think-tank expects the pitches to take turn, or at least keep slower bowlers in play. In such conditions, Chahal’s bowling style and ability to flight the ball may help reap rewards. “All the matches India play will be day games. With dew not being a factor, spinners will play a role,” a BCCI source said.

The catch though is that it leaves only Kuldeep Yadav to challenge the left-handers’ outside edge as Chahal, Jadeja and Axar all turn the ball into left-handers.

The decision on what should India’s preferred top order be – Rohit-Kohli-Suryakumar or Rohit-Jaiswal-Kohli has been left to the team management. Kohli opening the batting would give an opportunity to play both Hardik and Dube in the eleven. But that would make the top-order right-hand heavy and deny Jaiswal, an out-and-out powerplay dasher, which the format demands (SR 161), an opportunity to make a difference.

The selectors have three more weeks before the deadline to make any changes to the squad ends for the World Cup starting June 2. With the first batch of Indian players – from teams that don’t make the IPL playoffs - slated to leave for USA on May 21, it’s unlikely that there will be any changes, barring injuries. India begin their league phase campaign on June 5 against Ireland in New York, followed by the mega clash against Pakistan and a match against Canada.

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