All-rounder Hardik Pandya will be linking up with the Indian squad in New York on Sunday (May 26) afternoon ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.
Pandya, who has been named vice-captain for the marquee event, was a notable name missing from the visuals of the first batch of Indian team players and support staff departing for New York from Mumbai on Saturday (May 25) night.
According to a report published in Cricbuzz, Hardik had been vacationing overseas at an undisclosed location after Mumbai Indians’ campaign ended in IPL 2024 on May 17. He is now on his way to New York to join the Indian team for the showpiece tournament, starting from June 1.
Ahead of the IPL 2024 season, Hardik Pandya completed a high-profile trade from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians and replaced Rohit Sharma as the captain of the five title-winning franchise.
Under Hardik’s leadership, however, MI finished the season at the bottom of the points table and became the first team to be eliminated from the playoffs race.
On a personal front, the MI skipper endured a disappointing IPL 2024 campaign with both bat and ball, scoring just 216 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 143.05 without a half-century. While he managed to claim 11 wickets, it came an average of 35.18 and an economy rate of 10.75.
The Cricbuzz report also stated that Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Avesh Khan, who played for Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2024 at Chepauk on May 24, will join the team later, so as travelling reserve Rinku Singh, who is currently taking part in the IPL final.
Among other players, star batter Virat Kohli hasn't travelled with the team but reportedly, he had informed the BCCI about joining the team late.
Meanwhile, Team India members, including captain Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and substitutes Shubman Gill and Khaleel Ahmed are the ones who left for New York along with the support staff on Saturday night.
India will open their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against Ireland in New York on June 5.
India Squad: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh
Travelling Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan
