Team India skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bowl first in the Men in Blue's opening game of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup against Ireland on Wednesday, June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Rohit suggested that with a lot of unknowns regarding the conditions, it was better to have a score in front.
The Men in Blue went in with most of the expected line-up, except for the left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep has been India's top spinner in the last 18 months or so across formats, however, the Indian team decided to go in with three genuine pacers in Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj along with both the spinning all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
It was a surprise given how Kuldeep bowled in the T20 series in South Africa and recently in the IPL, that he didn't find a place in the side. However, it seemed like India went with horses for courses as Ireland had no left-hander in their top 7 and hence decided to go with both Axar and Jadeja, with Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube being the extra bowling options.
Kuldeep took 14 wickets in 9 T20Is last year at an economy rate of less than six while was amongst wickets in IPL 2024 as well, with 16 scalps.
However, there was a surprise among fans and experts too, as to how did Kuldeep, one of certainties in the T20 side, along with Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav wasn't looked at. Take a look at the reactions:
Along with Kuldeep, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal were the others to miss out. Jaiswal missing out meant that the two senior pros Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will reunite at the top of the order for India in T20Is after more than three years.
India's playing XI against Ireland: Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
