India's Squad for T20 World Cup: Who are the wicket-keepers in contention, and how have they performed in IPL 2024?

The race for the wicketkeeper’s spot in the India squad for the T20 World Cup is heating up as the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 progresses. As many as five players — KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan and Jitesh Sharma compete for the wicketkeeper’s place in the showpiece tournament. And there is a surprise entrant to this list too — Dinesh Karthik.

All these players are currently representing their franchises in the IPL, and with the 2024 T20 World Cup just over a month away, their performance is being scrutinized quite closely.

Also read | Eoin Morgan on Virat Kohli, India's wicketkeeper conundrum, T20 World Cup chances

Let’s now take a look at how each wicketkeeper-batter has performed in IPL so far and who is still in contention for the India squad for the T20 World Cup:

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How have they performed in IPL 2024 so far?

Rishabh Pant (DC)

Matches: 9; Runs: 342; Highest score: 88*; Average: 48.86; Strike-rate: 161.32; 100s: 0; 50s: 3

Sanju Samson (RR)

Matches: 8; Runs: 314; Highest score: 82*; Average: 62.80; Strike-rate: 152.43; 100s: 0; 50s: 3

KL Rahul (LSG)

Matches: 8; Runs: 302; Highest score: 82; Average: 37.75; Strike-rate: 141.12; 100s: 0; 50s: 2

Dinesh Karthik (RCB)

Matches: 9; Runs: 262; Highest score: 83; Average: 52.40; Strike-rate: 195.52; 100s: 0; 50s: 2

Ishan Kishan (MI)

Matches: 8; Runs: 192; Highest score: 69; Average: 24; Strike-rate: 168.42; 100s: 0; 50s: 1

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Jitesh Sharma (PBKS)

Matches: 8; Runs: 128; Highest score: 29; Average: 16; Strike-rate: 125.49; 100s: 0; 50s: 0

What are their chances?

Rishabh Pant

The most obvious and likely pick for the T20 World Cup among wicketkeepers could be Pant. Yes, the 26-year-old has not played in the shortest format for India since 2022, but since returning from injuries he suffered during a car accident, Pant has shown promise not just with the bat, but behind the wickets as well.

Pant has taken 10 catches and affected three stumpings in IPL 2024 thus far, and the DC skipper’s unbeaten 88 in his team’s most recent match against Gujarat Titans might have just given him the confidence to do it at the highest level, once again.

Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson’s India career has been a roller-coaster ride so far. He’s been in and out of the Indian team several times, and despite a few performances here and there, he still has not been able to seal a permanent spot just yet.

Samson, however, has put himself in strong contention for the wicketkeeper’s slot for the T20 World Cup.

The RR skipper has silenced his critics with three fifties in the IPL and has made himself a vital part of the Royals’ top-order. It’s not just his batting that has impressed cricketing experts, but also his captaincy. He faces tough competition from Pant for the first wicketkeeper’s slot but can still be considered as a backup option in the Indian team.

KL Rahul

KL Rahul finds himself in a tough situation currently as far as his T20 World Cup chances are concerned. Although the Lucknow Super Giants skipper managed to score 82 off 53 deliveries against Chennai Super Kings recently, his strike rate in the IPL remains under scrutiny.

Rahul has been opening for LSG this season but is less likely to do so in the T20 World Cup if selected. With the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal seen as favourites for the openers’ slot, Rahul’s chances look very slim. Add to the fact that he has not played a T20I for India since the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England in Adelaide.

Ishan Kishan

Despite boasting a strike rate of 168, Ishan Kishan has not had the kind of start to the IPL he would have wanted. The youngster has gotten off to quick starts for MI on a few occasions but hasn’t been able to convert them. Barring knocks of 69, 42 and 34 in this year’s IPL, the 25-year-old has nothing else noteworthy, and lack of consistency is something that has been concerning Kishan.

Jitesh Sharma

The player who is less likely to make the Team India squad among all of the mentioned wicketkeepers is Jitesh Sharma. The 30-year-old was considered to be in the race for the T20 World Cup squad when he played against Afghanistan earlier this year. He scored 31 off 20 deliveries in the first T20I of that series but followed it up with a two-ball duck in the second.

Also read | How Jitesh Sharma is losing the race to make India's T20 World Cup squad

He was however dropped from the third T20I. Fast forward to April, and Jitesh has not been impressive enough to be in contention for the T20 World Cup slot.

Jitesh could have been a valuable asset in the lower middle-order for India, but his IPL 2024 form so far (Highest score of 29) while batting for PBKS puts him below in the pecking order.

Dinesh Karthik

This may come as a shock selection to a few but Dinesh Karthik, who plays for RCB in the IPL, has caught the eye of many with his finishing abilities. The veteran, who also played in the 2022 T20 World Cup, might be a wildcard choice given his exploits with the bat in IPL 2024.

The 28-year-old scored consecutive fifties against MI and SRH in IPL 2024, with both coming in good time.

Karthik himself is confident about his chances. “At this stage in my life, it would be the greatest feeling for me to represent India. I’m very, very keen to do so. There is nothing bigger in my life other than representing India in this T20 World Cup,” the Tamil Nadu cricketer had said ahead of the recent KKR clash.

It might be an outside chance that Karthik makes the squad but in the unlikely situation he does make it, India would most certainly have an experienced wicketkeeper-batter in their ranks who can also be a backup option.

What the experts have been saying?

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting believes it will be hard for the selectors to ignore Rishabh Pant. “He will be in the squad for sure. He’s too good a player and can have too much of an impact on games for India not to select him. We are obviously delighted to have him back. He’s not very far off from full fitness. He’s running between the wickets well, and he’s keeping really well. He hasn’t lost anything in terms of his hand-eye coordination with the gloves on, and he’s moving well,” said the Aussie.

Meanwhile, cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull feels Jitesh Sharma is far from being a contender for the T20 World Cup.

“He is a better player than just a slogger. He is a far better batter and I have seen him bat properly than just a slogger. Maybe he just needs to find some timing early on, maybe just keep the ball along the ground. Those are the things that will play in his mind.  He’ll desperately want to get on that plane (For T20 World Cup). He still hasn’t got that boarding pass according to me,” Doull had told Cricbuzz.

Commentator Harsha Bhogle has backed Sanju Samson to make the India T20 World Cup squad. “In my book, every single day. In my book, he’s among the first players to be picked,” said Bhogle.

Harbhajan Singh has also backed Samson to make the World Cup squad. “Yashasvi Jaiswal’s knock is a proof of class is permanent. Form is temporary @ybj_19 and there shouldn’t be any debate about Keeper batsman. @IamSanjuSamson should walks in to the Indian team for T20 world cup and also groomed as a next T20 captain for India after rohit. koi shak???”, he posted on X after RR beat MI recently.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s knock is a proof of class is permanent . Form is temporary @ybj_19 and there shouldn’t be any debate about Keepar batsman . @IamSanjuSamson should walks in to the Indian team for T20 worldcup and also groomed as a next T20 captain for india after rohit . koi…

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 22, 2024

Sourav Ganguly, former India captain, believes that KL Rahul has to play fearlessly in the IPL and that would help him seal a spot in the T20 World Cup squad. “The most important thing in T20 cricket and I said that to Rahul in Australia (T20 World Cup) also, just play without fear. Just go and hit. There is long batting. You can always control if you lose wickets, but just go and hit,” Ganguly told PTI.

Ganguly, however, said that Pant was “definitely in the bracket”. “Pant is definitely in that bracket, and I am sure he would go to the West Indies (as part of the T20 World Cup squad). He should bat in the middle order,” Ganguly, Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals, told media during an event organised by the franchise.