Sledging Room India Today Podcasts

We are living in Virat Kohli's world. The RCB star first hit out the GT bowlers for a match-winning unbeaten 70 and then tore into critics of his strike rate and his often-questioned ability to play against spinners in the middle overs.

Kohli's remarks have been met with contrasting reactions. While a few lauded Kohli for giving it back, others have questioned the need to go after critics after having had issues while facing spin in the past. Well, what truly matters is that Virat Kohli is batting at his best just ahead of the T20 World Cup in 2024. If India has to end the ICC title drought, the form of Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be key.

After 9 matches in the IPL 2024, Sanju Samson ranks 4th in the Orange Cap list. Samson has the highest strike rate among the top 5 batters in the league and has also led his team to 8 wins out of 9 matches. What more will Samson need to do to get into the T20 World Cup 2024 squad? The Rajasthan captain has been consistently ignored by the selection panel for the ICC tournaments, and this year, he is in contention with a resurgent Pant and a wily KL Rahul, who has adapted to the modern template of T20 batting.

Will Samson make it to the side? If yes, who sits out, and how does the Playing XI look for India in the tournament set to be hosted jointly by the USA and West Indies? Saurabh Kumar, Alan John, and Kingshuk Kusari discuss Virat Kohli's and Sanju Samson's roles in the latest episode of the Sledging Room Podcast.

Produced and Mixed by Sachin Dwivedi

The public seems to think Virat Kohli’s place in the T20 World Cup is a given. However, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru superstar shot himself in the foot when he came up with a snoozefest in Hyderabad in RCB’s win over SunRisers on April 25, days ahead of the T20 World Cup selection meeting.

Yes, Virat Kohli deserves another shot at the T20 World Cup, but will his inclusion do more harm than good to Team India? Can he bat at No. 3, considering his struggles against spin, especially after the powerplay? Should he be used as a pinch-hitter in the powerplay? If that’s going to be the case, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is hungry for big runs, might have to warm the benches.

Also, if media reports are anything to go by, Sanju Samson might miss out on a World Cup berth again. Having missed the ODI World Cup last year, Samson looked set to go to the USA and the Caribbean. However, it seems the selectors are more inclined to take KL Rahul as the second wicketkeeper, with Rishabh Pant set to take the gloves.

Will we get to see Shashi Tharoor’s furious rants on social media again? Does KL Rahul deserve a spot more than Sanju Samson?

With the selectors set to name the T20 World Cup in the final week of May, Saurabh Kumar, Akshay Ramesh and Kingshuk Kusari discuss the probables in the latest episode of Sledging Room Podcast.

Produced and Mixed By Kapil Dev Singh

We are halfway through the IPL 2024 season. While the playoffs race is heating up, the focus is also on the T20 World Cup squad selection, which is set to be done before May 1. Yes, many young names have performed wonderfully well, but will the selectors make bold calls and reward them?

Should an aggressive and in-form batter like Abhishek Sharma, who has been one of the pillars of SRH’s batting brutality, be picked for the T20 World Cup, starting June 1? Then, there is Riyan Parag, who has revived his IPL career with the Rajasthan side. Should India look at grooming young pacers like Harshit Rana and Mayank Yadav for the World Cup?

Is that a risk worth taking? Handing debuts to youngsters in an ICC event puts undue pressure on them. Isn’t it?

At the same time, it’s worth mentioning that India, under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, won the T20 World Cup in 2007 with fresh faces.

There are some other important questions, too. Will Ravindra Jadeja, who is struggling for form with both ball and bat, find a place in the 15? Isn’t Axar Patel a better option?

What about opening the innings with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma? Sanju Samson or Rishabh Pant? KL Rahul in? Shivam Dube as spin-hitter?

In this episode of the Sledging Room Podcast, Akshay Ramesh, Alan John and Kingshuk Kusari discuss the potential T20 World Cup picks.

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Produced and Sound Mix By: Kapil Dev Singh

The Impact Player rule has helped unearth gems like Ashutosh Sharma, who is making waves in the IPL 2024 season. The 25-year-old from Madhya Pradesh and Shashank Singh have been the usual suspects for PBKS in an otherwise floundering batting line-up.

But, several cricketers have raised concerns about the Impact Player rule. Yes, record-breaking scores of 270 and 280 add much flair to the viewing experience. But it's removing the balance between bat and ball as teams get an extra specialist batter. More importantly, all-rounders, especially Indian all-rounders, are not getting enough opportunities.

Rohit Sharma, speaking on his appearance in the Club Prairie Fire Podcast, rued that the likes of Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar haven't gotten enough opportunities to roll their arm over.

Also, in his inimitable style, Rohit Sharma rubbished rumours about the T20 World Cup team selection, opening the door to many more discussions about it.

In a special episode of the Sledging Room Podcast, Kumar Keshav of AajTak Radio joins Akshay Ramesh and Saurabh Kumar.

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Produced & Sound Mix By: Sachin Dwivedi

What's it with Rajasthan Royals and their strong starts? Their fans start getting nervous when they win a couple of matches on the trot. We have seen the Royals slipping from comfortable positions in the past. Are they a victim of their own genius? Yes, they returned to winning ways by beating Punjab in Mullanpur. But why send Tanush Kotian to open the innings? Kotian, an off-spinner who bats at No. 8 and No. 9 for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, did not bowl at all. Who is responsible for making such bold calls? Well, Sanju Samson and Kumar Sangakkara need to keep it simple if they are to go one step further and wait for the title.

On the other hand, there is going to be more pressure and chatter around Hardik Pandya after MI lost to CSK in the much-anticipated El Clasico. Was Sunil Gavaskar right in going after Hardik Pandya for bowling 3 loose balls to MS Dhoni in that last over? Is there an issue with Hardik's fitness, considering the manner in which he has struggled to bowl? Is Hardik Pandya an automatic choice for the T20 World Cup? Are there different yardsticks for selection for different players?

Are opposition teams scared of Shivam Dube now? He is no longer a spin-hitter and he showed in the El Clasico that he is capable of taking down fast bowlers too. Should he be part of the T20 World Cup squad? In the latest episode of the Sledging Room podcast, Akshay Ramesh, Saurabh Kumar, and Kingshuk Kusari discuss the exciting El Clasico week and more.

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Produced & Sound Mix By: Kapil Dev Singh

 

After the RCB women's side won the WPL 2024, there was hope and expectation that the men's side would do better and finally win the season this time. However, RCB being RCB have started the tournament on a horrific note with five losses and one win in the first six matches of IPL 2024. In fact, MI handed the Bengaluru side a thumping seven-wicket hammering at Wankhede and now RCB are languishing in the 9th position. RCB were so bad that after the loss, captain Faf du Plessis conceded that his team was struggling because their bowling group did not have "as many weapons" as the other teams. 

Du Plessis said RCB's batters need to be adept at scoring more runs to even "have a chance" while their bowling group needs to find new ways to be effective. Unless a miraculous turn of events occurs, it's safe to say that RCB's chances of winning their maiden IPL title are next to none this season. With their dismal performance, the dream of ending RCB's 16-year-long wait, led by their iconic star Virat Kohli, seems destined to be deferred for another year. 

Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah was simply sensational against RCB. Bumrah's spell was so special that it made even Virat Kohli look ordinary at Wankhede. Bumrah picked a five-wicket haul and then his post-match comments were an absolute gem. Even Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav hit form with Hardik Pandya realising his potential as a finisher against RCB. Surya hitting form ahead of the T20 World Cup is welcome news for all Indian fans as the Rohit Sharma-led side needs their best T20I batter in top gear for the ICC tournament.  In the latest episode of the Sledging Room Podcast, Saurabh Kumar, Kingshuk Kusari and Alan John discuss what's wrong with RCB.

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Produced and Mixed By: Sachin Dwivedi