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India’s World Cup 2023 squad announced
The Men’s Selection Committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has announced the official Indian squad for the ODI World Cup 2023.
The squad includes:
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- Ishan Kishan
- KL Rahul
- Hardik Pandya (VC)
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Axar Patel
- Shardul Thakur
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Shami
- Mohammed Siraj
- Kuldeep Yadav
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Overview
The squad was finalized after Agarkar met with team captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid in Sri Lanka over the weekend. There had been speculation about the fitness of KL Rahul, but he has been included in the squad after recent updates suggested that he should be fit to play in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2023.
India will be the defending champions at the World Cup, which will be held in India from October to November 2023. They are one of the favorites to win the title, and this squad gives them a good chance of doing so.
Here is a breakdown of the squad:
- Top order: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli are the three openers. They are all world-class batsmen and will be looking to give India a good start in every match.
- Middle order: Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, and KL Rahul are the three middle-order batsmen. They are all capable of scoring big runs and will be important in providing the team with depth in the batting order.
- Lower order: Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja are the three all-rounders. They are all capable of contributing with both bat and ball, and will be key to India’s chances of winning the World Cup.
- Pacers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur are the four pace bowlers. They are all experienced and in good form, and will be looking to take wickets in the middle overs and at the death.
- Spinner: Kuldeep Yadav is the lone spinner in the squad. He is a talented bowler who can take wickets in both the early and later stages of the innings.
Sanju Samson misses out on India’s World Cup squad
Sanju Samson was one of the notable absentees from India’s 15-man squad for the ODI World Cup 2023. The wicket-keeper batsman had been in good form in recent months, but he was ultimately overlooked by the selectors.
Other players who missed out include Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Chahal is one of the world’s leading spinners, but he has struggled for form in recent months. Krishna is a young fast bowler who has impressed in the IPL, but he has not yet played enough ODI cricket. Ashwin is a veteran all-rounder who has been in and out of the Indian team in recent years.
The other notable absentees are Shikhar Dhawan, Tilak Varma, and Rishabh Pant. Dhawan is a veteran opener who has been in good form, but he was injured during the Asia Cup. Varma is a young batsman who has impressed in the IPL, but he has not yet played enough ODI cricket. Pant is a wicket-keeper batsman who is recovering from a hand injury.
The inclusion of KL Rahul is a major boost for India. Rahul is a top-order batsman who has been in excellent form in recent months. He is expected to replace Dhawan in the opening slot.
The other notable inclusions are Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav. Thakur is a seam-bowling all-rounder who has been in good form in recent months. Yadav is a leg-spinner who has been out of favor in recent years, but he is a talented bowler who can take wickets in both the early and later stages of the innings.
Overall, India has a strong squad for the World Cup. They have a good balance of batting and bowling, and they have a number of experienced players who can lead the team. However, they will need to be at their best if they want to win the title.