With the IPL 2024 final just a day away, the focus now shifts on India and the T20 World Cup. The first batch of Indian cricketers, including skipper Rohit Sharma and others, are expected to leave for the USA tonight, ahead of the tournament that is scheduled to begin from June 1. Interestingly, only one player – Rinku Singh, who is a part of the reserves – is participating in the IPL 2024 final while the rest of the players are part of franchises that have been knocked out of IPL 2024.
First Team India batch to leave on May 25
India’s star players, including Rohit, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah, are expected to be the first batch of cricketers to depart to the USA on May 25. All these players are part of teams that are no longer in contention for the IPL title.
Additionally, reaching even a day earlier to the USA could prove beneficial for the Indian players. After a two-month long tournament that involved traveling across the country to places with varying temperatures, it would be wise for the players to reach as early as possible in order to beat the fatigue owing to travel as well as getting accustomed to the conditions in the USA ahead of their warm-up game and the first match of the marquee tournament.
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What about RR players?
Rajasthan Royals were knocked out of IPL 2024 on Friday after their loss to SRH. Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Avesh Khan were part of the side that lost the Qualifier 2 on Friday. It is expected that these stars would most likely be the second batch of cricketers who would leave for the USA, perhaps a day after the first batch departs.
Where is Hardik Pandya?
As per reports, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya is in London and will join the Indian team directly in the USA. MI were one of the first teams to be knocked out of IPL 2024 after a miserable season. Pandya will make his comeback to the national side after being on the sidelines since the ODI World Cup in 2023 and is expected to play a crucial role for the side in the upcoming marquee event.
Rinku Singh – the odd one out
KKR finisher Rinku Singh remains to be the only member of India’s squad (plus reserves) for the T20 World Cup who will be taking part in IPL 2024 finals. He is expected to leave for the USA after the finals, probably on Monday or Tuesday.
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