'Due to IPL, its so difficult to have everyone play together' - Harbhajan Singh reckons India are underprepared for T20 World Cup 2024

With the T20 World Cup 2024 looming around the corner, various players have been involved in the ongoing edition of the IPL. The marquee tournament is all set to end on May 26, and due to that, the Indian team will not have a full-fledged training camp for the World Cup.

It is worth noting that several English players will not be participating in the remainder of the IPL due to their upcoming Pakistan T20I series, which will help them prepare for the T20 World Cup. The fans will not be seeing the likes of Phil Salt and Jos Buttler in action.

Speaking of the same, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, who was part of India's squad that won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, came forward to talk about the gruelling IPL schedule and hoped that the BCCI would stick to a plan similar to that of the ECB.

Also Read: IPL 2024: Jos Buttler, Will Jacks, Reece Topley leave India for national duty

“I think with this IPL scheduling, it is so difficult to have everyone together to play a few matches. But yes, we have two games in America before the tournament starts,” Harbhajan Singh told the Hindustan Times.

“Yes, I believe it would have been better for them to have 4–5 games, you know collectively playing against some top team like England or Australia in America, just to get used to those conditions. But that doesn't seem to be happening,” he added.

The team should play together for 10–15 days: Harbhajan

Furthermore, Harbhajan talked about how the Indian team will be looking to make the best use of the limited matches that they will be playing for the World Cup, reflecting on how the team will be better off if they play together for 10–15 days ahead of the tournament.

“But now, whatever small window we have, those two games, we have to make the best use of it. Going forward, it is a great suggestion. When you are playing a tournament like the World Cup or WTC, the team should play together for 10–15 days, it will be better,” the former cricketer reckoned.

India begin their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5, and are placed in Group A with Canada, Ireland, Pakistan and USA. They will be taking on Ireland in their first game of the tournament and will hope to get off to a positive start.