The first contingent of Indian cricketers, including captain Rohit Sharma, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, and top-ranked T20I batsman Suryakumar Yadav, departed for the United States in preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup starting on June 1. The team was seen off at Mumbai airport, where head coach Rahul Dravid, batting coach Vikram Rathour, and several key players were also present.
Among those photographed at the airport were batters Shubman Gill, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube, fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Khaleel Ahmed, along with spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.
Notably absent were Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Yuzvendra Chahal, who had just concluded their IPL season with Rajasthan Royals following a defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Also missing were Kolkata Knight Riders' batter Rinku Singh and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s star Virat Kohli, both of whom are involved in the IPL final against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai on Sunday.
India’s T20 World Cup journey kicks off on June 5 against Ireland at the newly inaugurated Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. A highly anticipated match against Pakistan is scheduled for June 9. Following these, India will face tournament co-hosts USA on June 12 and Canada on June 15 to conclude their Group A fixtures.
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