India skipper Rohit Sharma believes spinners 'will have big role' in T20 WC 2024
Jun 04, 2024
New York [US], June 4 : Ahead of his side's first match of the T20 World Cup 2024 against Ireland, India skipper Rohit Sharma said that spinners will play a big role in the ongoing marquee event.
India will take on Ireland at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Wednesday.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Rohit said they will think about how to use the allrounders as the tournament progresses.
"The spinners will have a role to play, a big one. Our spinners are all-rounders, Axar and Jadeja. They are required for a good balance of the team. In pace bowling all-rounders, we have Hardik and Shivam. We will think about how to use them in the tournament, as it progresses." Rohit said.
When asked about their first match of the tournament against Ireland, the skipper said it would be a great game.
"It is going to be a great game, they have a great team. They play a lot of T20 cricket and a lot of their players play around the world in leagues. It will be as competitive as we play with other oppositions. We have to be at our best. That is how T20 cricket goes. If we lose our focus, there is a chance we do not end up on the right side," he added.
In the tournament, India will be aiming to end their ICC trophy drought, having last won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Since then, India has reached the 50-over World Cup final in 2023, semifinal in 2015 and 2019, the title clash of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021 and 2023, T20 WC final in 2014, semifinals in 2016 and 2022 but failed to secure a big ICC trophy.
India squad: 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, Mohd. Siraj.
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.