Virender Sehwag drops Hardik Pandya from his India's T20 World Cup playing XI, snubs Virat Kohli to tip this star to open with Rohit Sharma

Former India's explosive batter Virender Sehwag revealed his picks for India's T20 World Cup 2024 playing XI on the Club Prairie Fire Podcast alongside Michael Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist. Sehwag, who doesn't mince words while giving his opinions, has once again sparked debate with his Men in Blue's playing XI for the marquee tournament, particularly his choice of Yashasvi Jaiswal over Shubman Gill as a potential opener alongside Rohit Sharma. While Sehwag didn't specify a batting order, Jaiswal's inclusion suggests he might bat at the top with Sharma, followed by Virat Kohli at number 3.

Toss up between Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube

The middle order, according to Sehwag, would consist of the in-form Suryakumar Yadav at number 4 and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. The all-rounder slot remained undecided, with Sehwag contemplating either Rinku Singh or Shivam Dube. Dube, currently on fire for CSK in the IPL, presents a strong power-hitting option, while Rinku Singh offers consistent performance despite limited IPL opportunities this season. 

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Sehwag's bowling attack leans towards a balanced combination. The spin department features the experienced Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, while the pace attack boasts the lethal Jasprit Bumrah, the consistent Mohammed Siraj, and the swing specialist Sandeep Sharma.

No place for Hardik Pandya

Sehwag's XI raised eyebrows with the omission of Hardik Pandya. While acknowledging his presence in the broader squad, Sehwag suggested Pandya might face stiff competition for a starting spot.

The conversation took a humorous turn when Michael Vaughan brought up Sehwag's earlier comment about MS Dhoni's surprise inclusion. Sehwag clarified his stance. If discussions involve Dinesh Karthik's potential return to the team based on his stellar IPL performance (251 runs at a strike rate of nearly 200), then Dhoni, also performing well in the IPL, deserves similar consideration.  Sehwag highlighted their contributions to India's 2007 T20 World Cup victory, hinting they could repeat the magic in 2024.

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Karthik, available for the World Cup, has expressed his respect for the selection committee's decision. With the provisional squad deadline approaching on May 1st, all eyes are on the official announcement expected this week.

This is how Virender Sehwag's India's playing XI looks like for T20 World Cup 2024

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh/Shivam Dube, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Sandeep Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah.

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