CWC 2023: Indian squad announced; Ishan Kishan and Kuldeep Yadav included

The captain of the Indian Cricket Team, Rohit Sharma and head coach, Rahul Dravid had received flak for experimenting with the squad when the World Cup was approaching in close quarters. They had however clarified that they were compelled by a string of injuries to explore more options. The squad for the World Cup has been announced and it has been largely on expected lines. 

Yuzvendra Chahal was showing signs of declining form in India’s tour of West Indies and was hence excluded from the Asia Cup. The Board of Council for Cricket in India (BCCI) has remained firm with their decision of backing the chinaman spinner, Kuldeep Yadav along with all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. During the 2011 World Cup in India, the squad had 5 spin bowling options including the all-rounders. How this change in balance would affect the outcome would be interesting to see. 

The 2011 squad had 5 fast bowling options but none of them were all-rounders. Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur have found a spot although Pandya has been consistently bowling for India in the One-Day-International format. 

Ishan Kishan has been included as the backup option for wicket keeping with Rishabh Pant still recovering from his injury. The squad is rather batting heavy with most of those who had been given a long haul having retained their spot.  Tilak Verma and Sanju Samson whose names were in the discussion in the lead up to the event have however failed to make it to the squad. 

Squad 

 Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah