'His ticket to T20 World Cup is getting printed': Patel's bold prediction will worry Sanju Samson

Parthiv Patel, the former Indian wicket-keeping batter, has suggested that Jitesh Sharma is on the verge of securing a spot in the T20 World Cup 2024 squad. India is gearing up to face Afghanistan in the final T20I of their series at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium on January 17.

3 things you need to know

• India and Afghanistan are all set to play the 3rd T20I on Wednesday
• The T20 World Cup 2024 is scheduled to take place in June
• West Indies and the USA will host the T20 World Cup 2024

Also Read: 'What if Hardik is unfit?’ Doesn't matter: Gavaskar makes big selection call for T20 World Cup

Can Jitesh Sharma make a place in India's squad?

Having played in the first two T20Is against Afghanistan, Jitesh Sharma posted scores of 31 and 0. His inclusion in the Indian T20I team follows an impressive performance in the IPL 2023 season, where he accumulated 309 runs for Punjab Kings with a striking rate of 156.06.

“India's option is probably to have a wicketkeeper who can bat down the order. If you have to bat down the order, you need a destructive batter. The way Jitesh Sharma is playing, he is a very good option and I feel his ticket to the World Cup has started getting printed slightly,” Parthiv said.

“The sample size is very small, but when he came to bat in the first T20I, he came before the 10th over. I feel he understood the situation very well and played according to that. He didn't have to bat the way he usually does. He had to settle a little, keep the strike rate slightly low, and then play his shots. It means he showed another dimension as well, that he can also build an innings,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Parthiv Patel's bold claim will worry players like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. Both of these cricketers are also vying for that wicketkeeper's position in the Indian team. Rishabh Pant is expected to make a return this year, probably in time for the T20 World Cup 2024.