Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Gautam Gambhir has shared his views on the selection of the 2024 T20 World Cup squad, stating that Rinku Singh’s inspiring journey should not guarantee him a spot in the Indian team based solely on one outstanding IPL season. Instead, Gambhir firmly believes that the 21-year-old sensation of IPL 2023, Yashasvi Jaiswal, should be a definite starter for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
After a disappointing 2022 T20 World Cup, the Indian T20I team has shifted focus towards the future. Resting Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for T20 matches, the captaincy was handed to Hardik Pandya, and young talents were given opportunities. Rinku Singh came into consideration after a stellar 2023 IPL campaign with KKR, where he emerged as the top run-scorer for his team with 474 runs at a striking average of close to 60. However, Gambhir insists that Yashasvi Jaiswal should be India’s first choice for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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“Rinku Singh’s story is inspiring, and he has performed brilliantly as well. But we shouldn’t rush into selecting players based on one season. Let Rinku continue to score runs in the domestic circuit and then return to the IPL. Only then should we consider adding him to the Indian team. We tend to take the two months of IPL too seriously, and anyone who performs well there is quickly considered for the national squad,” stated Gambhir in an interaction with News18.
In contrast, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a consistent performer in the domestic circuit, making a strong case for his inclusion in the national side. His remarkable display in the IPL 2023 season, where he scored a total of 625 runs for Rajasthan Royals, further strengthens his candidacy, according to Gambhir. While Rinku Singh has been overlooked for the T20I series against West Indies, he has been selected in the squad for the 2023 Asian Games, which will be held in Hangzhou, China.