No place for Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Sanjay Manjrekar picks India's T20 World Cup squad with surprise entries

Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has sparked debate after announcing his 15-member India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 squad. Notably absent from his picks are batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Shivam Dube, along with in-form players like Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, and Shubman Gill. Manjrekar throws a curveball by selecting young Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rohit Sharma's opening partner, followed by Sanju Samson at number three.  He opts for both Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul as wicketkeeper-batters, ensuring flexibility in the batting order.  Ravindra Jadeja's all-round skills secure him a spot.

For spin bowling, both Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav find favor. The pace attack is spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, with Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan, and Harshit Rana joining the ranks. Notably missing is Arshdeep Singh, a current contender for the third pacer role.

With the World Cup kicking off on June 1st (Canada vs USA), Manjrekar's bold selections have sparked discussion and debate among cricket fans.

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Manjrekar's Squad raises eyebrows

Manjrekar's picks for the India's T20 World Cup squad have left everyone surprised. While some selections were expected, others have raised eyebrows.

One of the biggest surprises is the exclusion of established all-rounders Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, and Hardik Pandya. These players have all proven their skills on the international stage. Instead, Manjrekar opted for Krunal Pandya, the brother of Hardik, who hasn't played for India in nearly two years and hasn't been particularly impressive in the ongoing IPL season.

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Another point of contention is the absence of Virat Kohli.  Currently leading the IPL run-scorers' chart with 430 runs in just nine matches, Kohli remains in red-hot form.  His half-century against SRH on Thursday marked a historic milestone, making him the first player to score over 400 runs in 10 different IPL seasons. Manjrekar's decision to overlook Kohli's current form and experience has left many fans questioning his selections.

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Sanjay Manjrekar’s India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2024

Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), KL Rahul (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, Krunal Pandya

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