Prasad bats for inclusion of Dube-Rinku in India's T20 World Cup eleven

Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube (Pic: AFP)

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad on Monday advocated for the inclusion of Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh in the national team for the T20 World Cup 2024 in June.

Dube has been CSK's standout performer this IPL season, striking at more than 160. With conditions in the West Indies favouring spin, Dube's contribution could prove invaluable in navigating the slow pitches.

Explosive left-hand batter Rinku has presented a strong case to be India's squad for the T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean.

"Shivam Dube for his striking ability against spinners, Surya (Kumar Yadav) for being the best T20 international batter and Rinku Singh for his exceptional finishing ability," Prasad wrote on X.

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"It will be great if India finds a way to have these 3 in the 11 in the T20 World Cup 2024. With Virat and Rohit, this will leave spot for just a keeper batsman. Interesting to see how it pans out," he added. But that would mean that all-rounder Hardik Pandya may not be a part of the eleven.

Meanwhile, India will likely name their 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup in the last week of April.

The International Cricket Council's cut-off date for submission of teams is May 1, a BCCI source was quoted as saying. Each team will be able to change players till May 25.

The World Cup is all set to kick start on June 2 which will be hosted in the West Indies and the USA.

"The Indian team will be selected some time during the last week of April, the time by which the first half of IPL will be over and national selection committee will be in a position to assess form and fitness of the contenders," the senior BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

(With agency inputs)