“If You Ask Me, Of Course…”- Ravi Bishnoi Keeps Hope On T20 World Cup Selection

One of the regular members of the India side since the last 2022 T20 World Cup has been leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi. However, Kuldeep Yadava being a certain choice for the selection, the toss for the second spinner is likely to be between Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi.

The deadline for submitting the preliminary squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States of America is just a night away. The BCCI secretary Jay Shah and Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee has already finished their meeting in Ahmedabad on April 30, Tuesday.

Inconsistent IPL 2024 for Ravi Bishnoi continues

Ravi Bishnoi had a fabulous Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 as he finished with 16 wickets in 14 innings with an economy of 7.74. Even for India, he was in great touch, picking up 36 T20I wickets in just 24 innings at an average of 19.52 and an economy of 7.50.

During November 2023, Ravi Bishnoi earned the top position in the ICC T20I bowlers’ rankings, with nine wickets in five games against Australia, as he won the ‘Player of the Series’ award.

Even though in India’s last T20I series against Afghanistan, he had only two wickets in three games at an economy of 10.18. The inconsistent performance has been carried in this IPL 2024 too, as the leg-spinner has managed only five wickets in nine innings at an economy of 8.76.

Batters have started to read him from the hand, and once he goes for runs, the next ball gets short and gets the treatment.

“That would be better”- Bishnoi is optimistic about World Cup selection

While speaking on the eve of the game between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Mumbai Indians (MI), Bishnoi felt that the best would be if he left the decision to the selectors rather than taking too much pressure on himself.

“This should better be left to the selectors. That would be better because their decision will be after a lot of thinking.” Ravi Bishnoi said in the press conference. “Whatever they think would be better for the team, they would do that.”

With both all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel showing their batting abilities lower down the order, the race for the second spinner is between Ravi Bishnoi and Yuzvendra Chahal, who is currently the joint-highest wicket-taker of the IPL 2024 with 13 wickets in nine innings.

“As an individual, if you ask me, of course, the World Cup is a big thing and everyone wants to play in their life.” Ravi Bishnoi expressed. “Even I want to play the World Cup, but at the moment, this work should be left to the selectors. That would be better.”

Bishnoi was the stand-by player during the last T20 World Cup in 2022 in Australia. He narrated how important it is for the selectors to cut their emotions while making a decision.

“Looking at my process, as per that I’m doing well. In the last T20 World Cup, I was in the stand-by. Whatever the selectors felt right, they did that and even this time, whatever selectors do, they have long-term thinking.” Ravi Bishnoi explained. “They are watching the game from outside, so they would know better. We play the game with emotions, but the selectors have to remove the emotions to take a decision.”