'I hope selectors won't forget...' - Sanjay Manjrekar apprehensive about lack of opportunities affecting players' T20 WC selection

With the T20 World Cup approaching in June and the ICC demanding a preliminary 15-member squad from every participating nation by May 1 and a finalized one in which only a single change could be made by May 25, the ongoing IPL holds all the more significance till the aforementioned dates. Refocusing on the Indian team, it's widely recognised that each position is highly competed for, with no room for complacency.

While speaking to Firstpost, former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator, Sanjay Manjrekar, focused the spotlight on the same pressing issue, being particularly concerned for southpaw Rinku Singh, who hasn't had sufficient opportunities to express himself in the ongoing season of the IPL due to the Kolkata Knight Riders not really wanting the services of the lethal finisher, due to their top and middle-order firing on all cylinders. Manjrekar went as far as saying that he was a sure-shot player walking into the squad, having an expansive gamut and variety of shots, spanning all parts of the ground. According to Manjrekar, Rinku was one of his favourite players apart from the big-ticket players forming the nucleus of the Indian atom, saturated with extensive volumes of radioactivity in terms of talent and resources, waiting to disintegrate, come the mega-event in June.

Also Read: Reports: India's probable 20-member squad for T20 World Cup 2024

“Because he's not getting many opportunities, I hope selectors won't forget about Rinku Singh. He's a straight walk-in into the Indian team. Every time he has got the opportunity, you've seen how good he can be, in the sense of his consistency and the range that he has. He's somebody who I like, apart from the core of the Indian team, apart from the big names we are thinking about,” said Manjrekar. 

India need that kind of a player in their T20 team: Manjrekar on Samson

Proceeding forward, another player wanted by Manjrekar to feature in the Indian framework for the T20 World Cup was the skipper of the Rajasthan Royals, Sanju Samson. Manjrekar believed Samson was finally meeting the humungous level of expectations which everyone has had from a player of his calibre via his batting performances in IPL 2024 so far, and has had a coming-of-age as a batter for the past few months.

Also Read: Jhulan Goswami wishes to see Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma open together in T20 World Cup

“The other batter who has played for India, has been around for a long time, but finally is coming to the stage where what we are expecting from him is starting to happen is Sanju Samson. His consistency and maturity when he's playing, and he is on song...India need that kind of a player in their T20 team,” remarked Manjrekar.