ICC T20 World Cup 2024: Rahul Dravid hints at including Yuzvendra Chahal or Kuldeep Yadav against Afghanistan

Rahul Dravid added that Indian team will be flexible with their batting order at the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.

A day before India’s first Super 8 clash at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 against Afghanistan, India head coach Rahul Dravid has given a massive hint on team’s bowling lineup. The game is scheduled to be played at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados on June 20.

In the ongoing ICC tournament, Rohit Sharma-led India had a perfect group stage campaign. The Men in Blue won three out of tour games they played. However, their last group stage fixture against Canada was abandoned due to rain in Florida.

The Rohit-led side finished at top of the Group A standings with seven points to their name. With this, they qualified for the Super 8 stage and were slotted in Group 1 along with Australia, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

Chahal or Kuldeep: Rahul Dravid provides massive update on the team’s playing XI ahead of the Afghanistan clash

Earlier in the USA leg, the Men in Blue didn’t include both of the wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the playing XI as they mostly relied on their pace bowling attack at tricky New York surface. 

It is to be noted that the pitches in West Indies leg of the tournament has assisted spinners till now, and this might have insisted on the Indian think tank including one of their premium wrist spinners. 

India head coach Rahul Dravid has indicated that one of the leg spinners, Kuldeep Yadav or Yuzvendra Chahal, might get a chance to play against Afghanistan in the Super 8 clash in Barbados on June 20.

“It’s tough to leave anyone out. New York had pace bowlers conditions… slightly different. We might need something different here (in Barbados). Yuzi (Chahal) or Kuldeep (Yadav) could be used here. We are lucky to have players with all-round abilities. We had eight batters but we (also) had seven bowling options,” said Dravid, while interacting with the media on the eve of the Super Eight game.

I believe in flexibility: India head coach on Indian batting line-up

Dravid further added that the Men in Blue will be flexible with their batting line-up and order and will change as per demand or the situation in the respective Super 8 games.

“Each situation is unique. Can’t set it in stone. I believe in flexibility. The Pakistan game we moved Axar (Patel), specifically thinking around it… Rishabh (Pant) up the order (at No. 3), lots of thinking goes into it. I don’t think in Tests (cricket), we will have that flexibility. In T20s where it is a lot about match-ups, you see it happening more (flexibility in batting position),” Dravid added.

India squad for T20 World Cup 2024:

Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Reserve players: Shubman Gill (only for USA leg), Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan (only for USA leg)

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket for IPL 2024 Live Score & IPL Points Table,  on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.