The likes of Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav were automatic choices in India’s T20 World Cup squad but the others made the cut with their exploits in the ongoing IPL. Nine of 15 players picked in the squad were also part of the team that went to Australia for the last edition of the tournament in 2022. Here is the lowdown on the selected India players’ performance in the IPL so far:
1) Rohit Sharma: He has been among the standout batters for Mumbai Indians in what is turning out to be a forgettable season for the five-time champions.
In 9 matches, he has scored 311 at an excellent strike-rate of 160.30 with a top score of 105 not out against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium.
2) Hardik Pandya: A debatable selection as he is enduring a disastrous IPL. Appointed MI’s captain under controversial circumstances, Hardik has scored 197 runs, which includes 10 sixes, in nine IPL matches so far. When it comes to bowling, he has taken four wickets at an economy of 11.95.
3) Yashasvi Jaiswal: The Rajasthan Royals opener had a string of low scores before a 59-ball hundred against Mumbai Indians brought him right back into contention.
4) Virat Kohli: In the run-up to the Indian team selection, there was a lot of chatter around the strike-rate of the game’s all-time great in T20s, but he silenced his detractors by amassing 500 runs at a strike rate nearly 150 in 10 matches.
5) Suryakumar Yadav: One of the highlights of Surya’s campaign this season is his belligerent 78-run nock against Punjab Kings. Playing in his first competitive tournament after recovering from twin surgeries, he also has a 19-ball 52 to his credit.
6) Rishabh Pant: Returning to top-flight cricket after recovering from injuries sustained in a horrific car accident, he displayed tremendous form and struck 371 runs in 10 matches at a fine strike rate of 160.60. Additionally, he has also impressed with his keeping while captaining Delhi Capitals.
7) Sanju Samson: The Rajasthan Royals captain has been going great guns and has scored 385 runs at a strike rate of 161.08. He has to his credit four half-centuries, with his highest being an unbeaten 82.
8) Shivam Dube: In nine matches so far, Dube has totalled 350 runs for CSK at an average of 58.33 and a stellar strike-rate of 172.41. He, though, hasn’t bowled.
9) Ravindra Jadeja: In nine matches, the CSK all-rounder has scored 157 runs with a best of 57 not out. He has also taken five wickets.
10) Axar Patel: This spin bowler-cum-handy batter has scored close to 150 runs including a half-century and has also taken nine wickets with his economical bowling, enough to impress the national selectors.
11) Kuldeep Yadav: In nine matches, he has impressed with 12 wickets, including best figures of 4/55, and was a certainty in T20 World Cup squad considering his form over the past 12 months. 12) Yuzvendra Chahal: The leg-spinner has been a standout performer with 13 wickets in nine matches. Recently, he also became the first bowler to claim 200 wickets in the tournament’s history.
13) Arshdeep Singh: The left-arm seamer has picked 12 wickets in nine games, with the four-wicket burst against Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier this month being the high point of his campaign.
14) Jasprit Bumrah: The pace ace has been having a fabulous season and is leading the wicket’s column with 14 scalps in nine games at an economy rate of just 6.63.
15) Mohammed Siraj: He has been off-colour and has gone for plenty of runs, forcing the RCB think tank to even drop him for a match. He has taken six wickets in nine matches.