ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Ajit Agarkar reveals reason behind KL Rahul snub

India’s vice-captain of last T20 WC in 2022, KL Rahul didn’t get a place in squad for 2024 edition.

KL Rahul was a big name missing from the Indian squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and now BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar has revealed the reason behind leaving the seasoned keeper-batter out.

The BCCI selection committee had announced the 15-member squad and 4 reserve players for the ICC event which will be played in the USA and the West Indies in June this year.

The squad saw Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant pipping KL Rahul for the spots in the wicket-keeping departments.

With 385 runs and a strike-rate of 161.09 so far in this IPL, Samson has looked like a completely different T20 hitter. Despite his earlier swings in form, Samson has become more reliable at the plate, and with no power hitters on the team, his presence could help India in the middle order.

On the other hand, Rishabh Pant made his India comeback and will play for the Men in Blue for the first time since December 2022. He was involved in a terrible car accident the same month and had to undergo surgeries and intense rehab for 14 months. He made his cricketing return in IPL 2024, leading the Delhi Capitals and has kept wickets in all matches he has played and has hit three fifties with the bat as well.

KL Rahul has been opening in the IPL: Ajit Agarkar on why LSG captain was left out India’s squad

KL Rahul was also primed for a spot as the wicket-keeper batter, given how successfully he did his job in the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup last year. Many expected Rahul, who hasn’t played a T20I since the last T20 World Cup, to make his comeback by batting in the middle order for his IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants.

However, in a surprising move, Rahul chose to open the batting with Quinton de Kock and while he hasn’t done badly with the bat or with the keeping gloves, this proved to be the reason behind his ouster from India T20 World Cup squad.

“KL Rahul has been opening in the IPL, while Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson both have been batting in the middle order. Samson can drop down if needed. The top order is full and we needed someone to bat in the middle-order, that’s why we didn’t select Rahul,” Agarkar said in a press conference on May 2, 2024.  

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