India’s Squad for Cricket World Cup 2023 Announced: Sanju Samson, Chahal, P.Krishna, & Tilak Verma missing. KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav in squad.
India World Cup 2023 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav.
India start their campaign against Australia on October 8 in Chennai.
Squad Announcement:Live Updates
On Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023, set to commence on October 5. This roster, presented by BCCI’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma at Earl’s Regency in Kandy, held no surprises. KL Rahul secured his spot after being deemed fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Rahul is slated to rejoin his fellow Indian players in Sri Lanka for the Super 4 stage of the 2023 Asia Cup. Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav successfully regained their positions, while Sanju Samson, who served as a reserve in India’s Asia Cup squad, did not make the cut.
The exclusion of Sanju Samson, Chahal, Prasidh Krishna & Tilak Verma.
For the second time in as many years, Sanju Samson finds himself on the cusp of earning a coveted spot in the World Cup lineup but falling short. Just last year, he faced a similar situation when, despite a fierce competition for the wicketkeeper role, India opted for Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik over him in the T20 World Cup squad. Fast forward about 10 months, and little has changed, as Samson still trails behind in the hierarchy, this time edged out by the emergence of young talent in Ishan and the resurgence of Rahul.
Regrettably, Prasidh Krishna, who recently made a triumphant return from an extensive injury break and earned a spot in India’s Asia Cup squad, found himself excluded from the final World Cup roster, along with the promising young talent Tilak Varma. India’s middle-order batting will be anchored by KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, with Suryakumar Yadav serving as a backup option. In a significant move, Kuldeep Yadav has been named as the sole specialist spinner in the squad, suggesting that the management may have somewhat lost confidence in Yuzvendra Chahal. Notably, off-spinner R Ashwin was also omitted from the squad, leaving India with only three spin-bowling choices: Kuldeep, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel.
The remaining positions in the squad, however, were relatively straightforward to fill. Rohit Sharma will lead the team, accompanied by cricket luminaries such as Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shubman Gill. Among the fast bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj have all secured their spots, while medium-pacer Shardul Thakur earned his place due to his ability to bolster the lower order.
KL Rahul’s fitness questionable?
The only lingering uncertainty leading up to the World Cup squad announcement pertained to KL Rahul’s fitness. Rahul, who had been sidelined since the IPL due to a thigh injury, encountered another minor setback that forced him to miss India’s initial two matches in the Asia Cup against Pakistan and Nepal. However, Rahul has been impressing in the practice nets at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The primary concern surrounding Rahul revolves around his lack of match practice, but the three ODIs against Australia are expected to help him regain form and readiness ahead of India’s World Cup opener against Australia in Chennai on October 8.
