The much-anticipated India squad for the ODI World Cup 2023 was announced on Tuesday. The 15-member squad for the event had no surprises as the selectors and management retained the core group for the World Cup. The announcement was much-awaited and has now put an end to the speculation around the composition of the team.
The Indian cricket team for the upcoming ODI World Cup will have KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Jasprit Bumrah, who have put in a lot of effort to regain their fitness for the big event after 12 years on home soil. Many are optimistic that India, having faltered under pressure in previous ICC tournaments, will have a good chance of winning the title this time, especially since the event is being held in India.
India has not announced any reserves or backup options for the team that will participate in the upcoming marquee event. Ajit Agarkar, while speaking to the media about the backup players, hinted that the team will possibly have the same set of players who were part of the Asia Cup 2023 as a reserve team. He also confirmed that there will be no change in the squad until there is an injury.
“There are 17 guys, KL is the 18th. So, if you want that cover, those three guys, whether it’s for a keeper, extra seamer or a batter. Tilak is also there with us. This is the best 15 that we have picked. You are not going to change it unless you have to because of injuries,” Ajit Agarkar said.
Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and Prasidh Krishna are likely to be the backup options for the team going into the marquee event. In case of injury to any Indian player during the tournament, the experienced Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal can also be considered viable options.
The last time the highly sought-after trophy was played in Asia was in 2011 when India emerged victorious by defeating Sri Lanka in the final held in Mumbai. India had the distinction of being the first team to win the World Cup on home soil, followed by Australia and England who claimed the championship in the subsequent two editions.
The Indian cricket team is under a lot of pressure from both fans and players to end their long wait for an ICC title. The team has not performed well in ICC competitions recently, including their loss in the 2023 WTC final, and the Rohit Sharma-led side would look to their best foot forward to win the championship in India.