Kandy: Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, along with BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar, unveiled the 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup during a press conference held in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
The announced squad closely resembles the team that participated in the Asia Cup, with only two changes. Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna have been omitted from the World Cup squad, while the core of the team remains unchanged.
Here's the #TeamIndia squad for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 🙌#CWC23 pic.twitter.com/EX7Njg2Tcv
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 5, 2023
India’s bowling attack will consist of four seamers, including Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj, providing a potent combination of pace and experience. Additionally, the team boasts three spinners in Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav, offering variety and depth in the bowling department.
One notable inclusion is KL Rahul, who had previously suffered a thigh injury during the Indian Premier League (IPL). Rahul has since been undergoing rehabilitation and training at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, with expectations that he will join his Indian teammates during the latter stages of the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. Sanju Samson, along with Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna, were among the other notable omissions from the squad.
In the batting department, captain Rohit Sharma will lead the charge, supported by the likes of Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ishan Kishan, who also provides an additional wicketkeeping option. The team has placed an emphasis on all-rounders, with Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Shardul Thakur included to provide batting depth.
Jasprit Bumrah, who showed no signs of injury upon his return, spearheads the pace bowling attack, with Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj expected to form the first-choice pace trio. Kuldeep Yadav will serve as the team’s primary spin option.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is set to commence on October 5, 2023, with England and New Zealand facing off in the tournament opener at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India will kick off its campaign with a match against Australia in Chennai on October 8.
This edition of the Cricket World Cup is the largest yet, featuring ten teams competing across ten venues from October 5 to November 19. The tournament opener and final will both be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, and the event will encompass 48 matches over 46 days.
The top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Mumbai and Kolkata, respectively, with the final set to take place on November 19 in Ahmedabad. Reserve days have been allocated for the semi-finals and the final to account for any weather-related interruptions.
India’s squad for the World Cup consists of the following players:
Rohit Sharma (captain)
Shubman Gill
Virat Kohli
Shreyas Iyer
KL Rahul
Ishan Kishan
Suryakumar Yadav
Hardik Pandya (Vice-Captain)
Ravindra Jadeja
Axar Patel
Shardul Thakur
Jasprit Bumrah
Kuldeep Yadav
Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Siraj
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