Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar Speak Up on Dropping KL Rahul from T20 World Cup 2024 Squad

The Indian cricket team recently announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024, and the exclusion of star wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul sent shockwaves through the cricketing world.

This decision raised eyebrows, especially considering Rahul’s crucial role in India’s recent ODI World Cup campaign on home soil. Additionally, his experience playing on slow wickets, expected in the USA and West Indies, seemed like an asset.

During a press conference with captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, the reasoning behind Rahul’s exclusion came to light.

The team management prioritized flexibility in the batting order, someone who could adapt to batting lower down if needed. Since KL Rahul primarily opens the innings in the IPL, Sanju Samson was chosen for his ability to slot into the middle order when required.

Here’s what Ajit Agarkar said during the press-conference:

“Rahul has been batting at the top order, we were looking for middle order WK – we feel Sanju has the ability to bat down the order. It is about the slots we needed to fill, that is the thinking behind backing Pant & Samson.”

While Rahul has primarily opened the batting in the IPL for Lucknow Super Giants, Sanju Samson, who has been selected instead, possesses a greater ability to adapt to different batting positions, including the lower order.