Let’s have a match-up, guys!

India have so much talent that it could field two teams. So, here is my 15 who can make another T20 World Cup outfit…

Ajit Agarkar & Co had an unenviable task to pick the 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup.

Inevitably, there will be debates and sob stories, but then, the T20 WC is held every two years so the there’s-always-next-time consolation is for real. India have so much talent that it could field two WC teams, in fantasy cricket, of course. So here is my second team of 15.

Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain): The skipper of India’s gold medal-winning team at last October’s Asian Games, has led CSK well this season after MS Dhoni handed over charge. He has been in sublime form at the top of the order and his scores in the last six games read 67*, 69, 17, 108*, 98 and 62.

Shubman Gill (vice-captain): The GT captain has not set the rivers on fire with big scores in this edition of the IPL but he hasn’t been in poor form either. He is young but experienced and his ability can never be played down.

KL Rahul: Being an accomplished all-format player, the Bangalore batsman-wicketkeeper becomes a vital player in the alternate pack. Apart from his player of the match innings of 82 against CSK on April 19, he has led LSG to victory over the defending champions twice this season. Not many IPL captains can boast of landing this double blow on the top flight outfit.

Tilak Varma: Runs among ruins for MI. The middle-order batsman ended up three runs shy of the 400-mark in his first season in 2022 but is set to enjoy his most successful IPL season on the personal front this year. The India A batsman is at 343 in 10 games, the same number of runs he scored last year.

Shreyas Iyer: He may have not been thought much about during deliberations for the T20 World Cup team, but Iyer can’t be denied a place in this team. A back injury has hampered his progress, but when fully fit he can pulverise an attack. He has done well as captain of KKR. 

Dinesh Karthik: Undeniable spirit, remarkable belief and longevity that would make the most enduring of veterans proud is what wicketkeeper-batsman Karthik displays with each game he plays.   He was in contention for a place in the 15 that was chosen but age (38) went against him. That he still has the skills of a slayer is being proved in the ongoing IPL.

Rinku Singh: Clearly the most unfortunate player in the country to miss out on a World Cup berth. He’s the sort of player who can cause fear in an opposition camp with his finishing skills. The crushing bit for Rinku would be that he smashed 69 not out in India’s last T20I—against Afghanistan on January 17, when India prevailed in the second Super Over at Bangalore.

Riyan Parag: If RR find themselves perched at the top of the points table, Parag’s consistent showing at No. 4 has a lot to do with it. In the opening game against Lucknow, he smashed a 29-ball 43. The more remarkable innings came against DC, whose bowlers were taken for 84 in 45 balls post a 36-3 situation.

Tushar Deshpande: CSK’s Mumbai pacer’s 3-33 spell against KKR included the destructive Phil Salt, Rinku Singh and Andre Russell. The opposition were thus restricted to 137, which was surpassed by the 18th over. More recently, Deshpande claimed 4-27 to help bowl out Hyderabad for 134 after Chennai scored 212. Deshpande sent back openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma as well as one-drop Anmolpreet Singh. Skipper Pat Cummins too fell to Deshpande.

Mukesh Kumar: After going wicketless in his last two T20Is against Afghanistan earlier in the year, Mukesh Kumar has performed creditably in the IPL for DC. All his three-wicket bursts -- against CSK, GT and MI resulted in wins for the Rishabh Pant-led side. R Ashwin believes Mukesh can be the next Mohd Shami and how great that will be for India!

Mayank Yadav: LSG’s pace sensation made people get up and take notice of his speed. He has impressed the likes of Stuart Broad and  sure can impress more in this alternate pack. Some in MI felt the heat of his sharp, short stuff on Tuesday, but reportedly he is injured again.

Yash Thakur: A fifer against GT to hand LSG their third consecutive win in a row on April 7 when they beat GT for the first time in five attempts, underlined Yash’s ability to make it count. Mayank Yadav had limped off with a side strain. Yash saw the opportunity and pounced on it. Those who had watched him give it his all during the Ranji Trophy final (six in the game) against Mumbai in March were 
not surprised.

R Ashwin: Unlike the Agarkar-selected bunch, this team has an off-spinner. And who better than R Ashwin although he is better known for his Test match exploits. He is not the quickest in the field but in my opinion, although fielding is critical, too much is made of that so-called disadvantage. Would any batsman relish the thought of facing Ashwin albeit in a T20 game?

Varun Chakravarthy: The leggie can’t claim he has been very consistent for KKR this season, but he has claimed 11 wickets so far and has had to cope with some “very placid” tracks. Both his three-wicket bursts have come against DC, who were beaten by the two-time champions. Chakravarthy figured in the 2021 T20 World Cup. 

Ravi Bishnoi: LSG’s leg-break bowler hasn’t exactly tormented sides in the IPL, but there was talk of him being discussed for the T20 World Cup team despite more illustrious spinners in the fray. He makes this team because he has the ability to impress. After all, he was ICC’s No.1-ranked T20 bowler after claiming nine wickets in five games against Australia last year.

mid-day’s group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance. He tweets @ClaytonMurzello

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