On April 30, the much-discussed India T20 team was revealed. Even though captain Rohit Sharma and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar emphasized that the majority of the squad was ready to play well before the IPL 2024 season began, there is no doubting that the IPL 2024 will serve as a barometer for player performance as the teams prepare for the T20 World Cup 2024. Here is a look at each player’s form guide for the T20 World Cup for India, based on the first five weeks of the 2024 Indian Premier League.
Capt. Rohit Sharma
Former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma has scored 326 runs with a strike average of 154.60 in 11 IPL 2024 matches so far. You might argue that he has had a decent run so far, but the right-handed opener has just played two matches since the T20 World Cup team for India was announced on April 30. His results have been 4 and 11. Actually, he has only scored 11 in his previous four IPL innings; the other three have all been single digits.
Vice Captain Hardik Pandya
Pandya’s maiden season as captain of the Mumbai Indians will be a letdown since both the vice captain of India and the team’s captain have not had a productive IPL 2024 season so far. MI is essentially out of the running for the playoffs. Pandya has amassed 198 runs personally in 11 games, hitting at a batting average of 147.76 and peaking at 46. Pandya hasn’t had the expected effect with the bat. While it is encouraging to see India’s best all-rounder bowling for the most of the competition, his results with the ball have also been mediocre; in 11 matches, he has taken 8 wickets at an average of 37.12 and an economy of 11.0.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
The first-choice opening partner of Rohit Sharma, India’s backup opener, had a terrible start to IPL 2024. It seemed like he would not make the T20 World Cup team at one point, but the young players’ timely 104* against the Mumbai Indians, just a week before the roster was revealed, could have gone in his favor. After scoring 24 and 67 in his last two innings, his current numbers, which show 316 runs in 12 games at an average of 35.11 and a strike rate of 157.21, are respectable.
Virat Kohli
With 542 runs in 11 matches at an average of 67.75 and a strike rate of 148.08, Virat Kohli has maintained a commanding lead over the Orange Cap since the IPL 2024 season began. Kohli scored an impressive 70* against Gujarat Titans two days before to the selection announcement, then three days later, in the rematch, he made 42 against the same team.
Suryakumar Yadav
Following his recovery from knee surgery, Suryakumar Yadav was out for the first three games for the Mumbai Indians. Despite this, he started the competition with two ducks and two fifties. In the most recent game against his previous IPL Kolkata Knight Riders, he scored 56, but he also scored 10, 26, and 10. The last one occurred on the day of the squad announcement.
Rishabh Pant (WK)
With 398 runs at a strike rate of 158.56 and an average of 44.22 in 11 games, the DC captain has allayed supporters’ concerns about the Maverick hitters’ potential impact after their 14-month injury hiatus. Not very bad behind the stumps, he is ranked eighth on the Orange Cap list for the 2024 Indian Premier League. Although he hasn’t featured in a match since the team was revealed, he has scored three fifty-plus runs while batting at position four in the IPL 2024.
Sanju Samson (WK)
This IPL, the captain of the Rajasthan Royals has been outstanding, and the fact that his club was leading the points table for much of the first five weeks of IPL 2024 was encouraging for the Kerala stumper. He has 385 runs in 10 games with an average of 64.17 and a strike rate of 159.09; however, the day after the team was revealed, he was dismissed after two balls.
Shivam Dube
Prior to the team announcement day, the Mumbai all-rounder was making all the right sounds. In nine matches, he scored 350 runs at an average of over 45 and struck out over 170. On the other hand, Dube has recorded two straight ducks since the squad announcement. In spite of this, he is ranked 13th on the Orange Cap list, which is impressive given that he hasn’t batted higher than 4 all season. He didn’t start working for the Chennai Super Kings with the ball until May 1, and on that occasion, he bowled and removed Jonny Bairstow of the Punjab Kings.
Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja has had a quieter season than usual, mostly because he has been flying under the radar because of Dube’s heroics at bat. Despite this, he has had some very significant appearances with the bat and the ball during the season, being the clutch player that he is. Even though he has only claimed eight wickets in 11 games, he has been very economical in the middle overs, scoring at a rate of 7.26. With one fifty to his credit and 202 runs batted in at 135.57, he is a dangerous player. He made an all-around 43 with the bat and 3/20 with the ball in his most recent match against PBKS in Dharamsala to help CSK win.
Axar Patel
The Delhi Capitals have used Axar, Jadeja’s backup in the lineup, more as a bowler than a hitter this season. Like Jadeja, Axar’s most notable statistic is his economy of 7.24 throughout 11 games. Despite his low total of nine wickets, he has established himself as one of the league’s most reliable bowlers. When it comes to bowlers who have bowled at least 10 overs in the IPL 2024, his economy ranks third, behind only Jasprit Bumrah and Sunil Narine.
Kuldeep Yadav
DC teammate of Kuldeep Yadav Axar started the 2024 Indian Premier League with a bang, taking six wickets in his first three games before faltering. While he did get 4/44 against SRH, in his eight games, he has gone wicketless three times, and his economy has risen to an uncomfortably high 8.51.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal is ranked 10th on the IPL 2024 Purple Cap list with 13 wickets in 10 matches; however, his economy rate of 9.68 RPO is a little concerning. Although he had at least one wicket every game, his previous two games had seen him fail to pick up any. The SRH batsmen took him for 62 runs in his four overs the day after the team announcement.
Arshdeep Singh
Throughout the IPL 2024, Arshdeep’s strike rate (15.73) with the ball has been rather respectable; however, the economy of 10.06 is concerning. He has been finding it difficult to stop the run flow, especially in the last overs. Despite taking 15 wickets in 11 matches, he has played in a very ordinary campaign so far. The fast bowler from Punjab delivered numbers of 1/52 and 2/43 against CSK on the day of the team announcement.
Jasprit Bumrah
With 17 wickets in 11 matches this season, the Indian bowling mainstay is now the highest wicket-taker. When it comes to bowlers who have bowled at least ten overs, his economy of 6.25 RPO is the best in the league. In a nutshell, this IPL season, Jasprit Bumrah has excelled as a bowler.
Muhammad Siraj
Given that Mohammad Siraj has only played in 10 T20I games and has been inconsistent in this IPL, it was surprising to see him selected for the T20 World Cup team. He’s leaked runs at 9.26 RPO and taken eight wickets at an average of 44.00 in ten games.