The selectors are ready to announce the Indian team before the T20 World Cup

With around 50 days still remaining for the start of the T20 World Cup, Indian selectors are preparing to announce the national squad. The selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar is likely to finalize the team on Saturday. The mega tournament, which India will host, is scheduled to begin on February 7.

Although the squad is being announced well in advance, India, as the host nation, has the flexibility to make changes until the start of the tournament. In this context, five or six players are expected to be named as standbys. In the past as well, similar last-minute changes were made ahead of the Champions Trophy.

Ahead of the T20 World Cup, selectors will also announce squads for the limited-overs series against New Zealand to be played at home in January. It is expected that the team selected for the T20 series against the Kiwis will largely form the core of the World Cup squad.

Sources indicate that the squad announcement is unlikely to feature any major surprises. Despite their poor form, captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill are almost certain to retain their places in the team. This World Cup is reportedly being viewed as a final opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav, both as a player and as captain.

Although there have been criticisms regarding Shubman Gill’s form, the chances of selectors dropping him and opting for an alternative appear minimal. In the batting department, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, Abhishek, and Tilak are expected to continue. Jitesh is likely to be named the first-choice wicketkeeper, with Sanju Samson serving as the second wicketkeeper.

Among the all-rounders, Hardik Pandya, Dube, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar are expected to secure places in the squad. The bowling unit is likely to include Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish, Parag, Rinku Singh, and Prasidh Krishna are expected to be named as standby players.