The first batch of players from the India cricket team’s 15-man squad will leave today (May 25) for the USA. With the T20 World Cup 2024 starting on June 1, the players from six IPL 2024 franchises that had been knocked out by May 19 are set to leave today. The remaining players will leave India on May 27.
T20 World Cup 2024 Updates: 1st batch left, but not Virat Kohli
India’s T20 World Cup Squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli. Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav. Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah.
Reserves: Rinku Singh, Shubman Gill, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed.
Next stop New York
The India cricket team will travel to New York, where they’ll play their only warm-up match against Bangladesh on June 1. The Men in Blue are set to remain there until June 12. They will play their opening three encounters (Ireland on June 5, Pakistan on June 9, and the USA on June 12) at Nassau County Stadium.
Whole team to travel together?
Earlier, it was announced that Team India would depart in two batches. But, with all 15 main squad players and 3 reserves (Rinku Singh left) already knocked out of IPL 2024, they just might travel together to New York.
When will Pandya reach the USA?
Hardik Pandya is currently in London and will likely travel along from there. Other members like to travel to New York from India via a connected flight from Dubai.
How many players will leave today?
The first batch that is expected to leave today will see 10 Indian players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah leave.
What about the 2nd batch?
The remaining four players—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, and reserves Shubman Gill, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, and Rinku Singh—are expected to leave together on May 27 as the second batch.
1st batch leaving
The first batch, led by Rohit Sharma, is on its way to New York! This means that everything is on track, and the remaining 8 players (Hardik Pandya excluded) will leave on the 27th.
Pit stop in UAE
The players are going to the USA through a connected flight from the UAE. They’ll make a small stop in Dubai and then go straight to New York.
Team India at Mumbai Airport
All the players who are set to leave have been spotted. However, Virat Kohli, who was also scheduled to leave today, wasn’t seen with his teammates.
Where is Virat Kohli?
While the video of the first batch of Team India leaving for T20 World Cup is making rounds, the big question has continuously been asked frequently – where is Virat Kohli? The modern-day legend’s absence was the major talking point from the departure to the USA.
And the journey begins!
A new post by the BCCI on social media showed pictures of the Indian cricket team and coaches, including head coach Rahul Dravid, at the airport lounge. Notably, the post didn’t include any pictures of Virat Kohli or rather unsurprisingly as we should say!
A heartwarming return for Pant
Amidst the confusion of the travel schedule, the cricketing world will see the much-anticipated return of Rishabh Pant in the blues of India. The star cricketer, who met with an unfortunate accident back in December 2022, missed the entire 2023 and returned in IPL 2024. He looked in delightful touch and thus selected in the Indian side for T20 World Cup 2024!
No warm-up game for Kohli!
There’s a change of plans for Virat Kohli’s departure. According to reports, due to unresolved paperwork, Kohli will miss the initial flights with the team and is now expected to travel to New York around May 30th. With this, he is most likely to sit out from India’s only warm-up game against Bangladesh on June 1.
Editors pick
