'Rahul has been...': Rohit Sharma reveals why KL Rahul was dropped from India's T20 World Cup squad

BCCI announced Team India's 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 on Tuesday and one of the biggest surprises was the omission of star wicketkeeper and batsman KL Rahul. 

Rohit Sharma addressed the decision to drop KL Rahul in favor of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson during their T20 World Cup press conference on Thurday, May 2, 2024. 

The main reason behind dropping KL Rahul is that India is looking for more options in the middle order and not the opening spots. 

“I mean KL is an exceptional batter but Rahul has been batting at the top order, we were looking for middle order WK - we feel Sanju has the ability to bat down the order. It is about the slots we needed to fill, that is the thinking behind backing Pant & Samson”, said Rohit Sharma on the decision to drop KL Rahul

KL Rahul was the vice captain of Team India in the last T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia 

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Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal were on Tuesday named in India's provisional squad for the T20 World Cup in the Americas but star batter Shubman Gill and the big-hitting Rinku Singh found themselves relegated to the reserves group.

The BCCI announced the Rohit Sharma-led squad after a meeting between secretary Jay Shah and chief selector Ajit Agarkar in Ahmedabad.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya was retained as vice-captain despite his poor recent form after taking over Mumbai Indians leadership in the ongoing IPL.

Samson, who has had a good IPL both as a batter and captain for Rajasthan Royals, was included as the second wicketkeeper-batter behind Rishabh Pant, pipping the likes of K L Rahul and Ishan Kishan.

Hard-hitting batter Shivam Dube also made the cut on the back of a strong IPL showing.

Leg-spinner Chahal, who last played for India in August 2023, is the second wrist spinner in the team alongside Kuldeep Yadav.

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However, Gill, who is enjoying a good run in the IPL as Gujarat Titans captain, found himself among the standbys along with Kolkata Knight Riders' big-hitter Rinku Singh.

The selectors decided to show faith in Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a slow start in the IPL but regained his touch recently for Rajasthan Royals.

The T20 World cup begins on June 2 in the USA and the Caribbean. India will open their campaign against Ireland on June 5 in New York.

Indian Squad for T20 World Cup: 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, Mohd. Siraj.

Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.

(With PTI Inputs)