Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has raised eyebrows by omitting Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya from his preferred India XI for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Sehwag revealed his chosen players during a recent appearance on the Club Prairie Fire Podcast.

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Hardik Pandya dropped from Virender Sehwag's T20 World Cup playing XI

Virender Sehwag's XI included Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and a choice between Rinku Singh or Shivam Dube. In the bowling department, Sehwag picked Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Sandeep Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja.

When questioned about the absence of Hardik Pandya, Sehwag clarified that Pandya should be in the 15-man squad but did not make it to his playing XI. This decision left former cricketers Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan surprised, reflecting the differing opinions on Pandya's current form and his place in the team.

Hardik Pandya's performance in the ongoing IPL 2024 season has been underwhelming. As a batsman, he has managed to score only 151 runs from eight matches at an average of 21.57 and a strike rate of 142.45. With the ball, his figures are equally disappointing, having conceded 186 runs and taking just four wickets at an average of 46.50.

The T20 World Cup is set to commence shortly after the conclusion of IPL 2024, with the deadline for submitting the provisional squad to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on May 1st. The selection of the final squad will undoubtedly be a topic of much discussion and debate among fans and experts alike.

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Virender Sehwag's decision to exclude Hardik Pandya from his playing XI highlights the challenges faced by the selectors in choosing the best combination of players based on current form, fitness, and team dynamics. While Pandya has been a key player for India in the past, his recent performances raise questions about his suitability for a spot in the starting XI for the T20 World Cup.

As the deadline for squad submission approaches, the selectors will have to weigh their options carefully and make some tough decisions to ensure India puts forward a competitive team for the T20 World Cup.