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Team India (Source: Twitter)
The Indian Cricket Board announced its official squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup on Tuesday, September 5. The Ajit Agarkar-led Team India men's selection panel revealed a strong 15-member squad for the marquee event to be held in India from October 5 to November 19. With exactly a month left for the premier 50-over tournament, fans were eagerly awaiting the announcement.
India's World Cup squad is almost similar to the team playing in the ongoing 2023 Asia Cup. The selection committee has made some obvious choices and omissions from the 17-member squad that is currently in the hunt for the Asian Championship. With the World Cup squad trimming to 15, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna have been excluded. Rohit Sharma will lead the team while Hardik Pandya will be his deputy.
Meanwhile, there were earlier reports that the selection committee had picked the team on Saturday night itself, leaving out Samson and including KL Rahul in the squad. However, the reports turned out to be true as Rahul, who returned from injury, was picked as the first-choice wicketkeeper batter and Ishan Kishan as his backup. Samson was included in the Asia Cup 2023 squad as a travelling reserve. In Rahul's absence in the first two matches, Kishan got the nod the perform and he played a sensational knock against Pakistan to cement his place in the World Cup squad.
Apart from Rahul, key players like Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer who have returned from injury have also made it to the squad. Bumrah will lead the pace attack that comprises Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur. Meanwhile, Suryakumar, who has not been impressive in the 50-over format, has also made it into the batting unit that includes Rohit, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Iyer. Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik and Axar Patel are the three all-rounders in the team.
India squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj.
India last won the ODI World Cup in 2011 under the leadership of MS Dhoni. The Men in Blue became the third team after West Indies and Australia to win the 50-over World Cup twice. India were also the first country to win the Cricket World Cup on home soil in 2011 and this time they will be aiming to extend their record along with ending their drought for a major trophy after their title win in the 2013 Champions Trophy.