Virender Sehwag Leaves Hardik Pandya Out Of India's T20 World Cup Squad

With the Team India squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 set to be announced anytime now, fans and pundits have been putting in their suggestions and predictions as to who will make the final 15 for the quadrennial tournament this year.

Former Indian opening batter Virender Sehwag has unveiled his selection for India's playing XI in the T20 World Cup 2024. Surprisingly, stand-in captain Hardik Pandya was excluded from Sehwag's team. During the Club Praire Podcast with Adam Gilchrist, Sehwag suggested considering Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh for the lower middle-order batting role instead.

Sehwag's choices didn't stop there. He also favored Sandeep Sharma over Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar in the bowling lineup. Sandeep Sharma's recent outstanding performance after joining RR led Sehwag to believe that he deserves a spot in the T20 World Cup squad.

Hardik Pandya Not In Sehwag's WC Team

Although Sehwag confirmed that Pandya would likely be part of the final 15-member squad to be announced by India at the end of April, he didn't include him in his playing XI. Pandya's recent lackluster performances in the IPL, coupled with struggles with both bat and ball, influenced Sehwag's decision.

Instead of Pandya, Sehwag chose Shivam Dube to strengthen the lower-order batting lineup, aiming to add firepower to the Indian team. Additionally, Sehwag named Rishabh Pant as the team's wicketkeeper, preferring him over Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan, all of whom have represented India in the past year.

Sehwag's T20 World Cup Squad

Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rinku Singh or Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Sandeep Sharma.

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