On September 5, 2023, the India 15-member roster for the ICC World Cup 2023 was released, and Rohit Sharma would lead a team that many pundits predicted, with Hardik Pandya selected as vice-captain. Read on to learn more about the ODI World Cup 2023.
In possibly the most significant development, KL Rahul has been pronounced fit to play in the group ahead of their World Cup opener against Australia on October 8 in Chennai. The batting lineup consists of Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ishan Kishan.
The all-rounders are Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shardul Thakur, with Kuldeep Yadav as the only pure spinner. In the pace department, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah were picked. However, some players were forced to withdraw as the selection committee attempted to strike the correct balance in the Indian squad.
Players to miss ODI World Cup 2023:
Shikhar Dhawan:
Shikhar Dhawan, the veteran left-hander, has been out of favour since the Bangladesh trip last December and, in one of the biggest surprises, was not even picked for the Indian Asian Games 2023 squad.
Dhawan has a remarkable record in the 50-over format, having scored 6793 runs in 167 ODIs, including 17 hundred at an average of 44.11. He had a fantastic World Cup in 2019, and his century against Australia with a fractured thumb remains one of the tournament’s highlights. With the advent of Ishan Kishan as a left-handed opening option, it is reasonable to say that BCCI selectors have moved on from Shikhar Dhawan.
Ruturaj Gaikwad:
Ruturaj Gaikwad was being considered for the Indian World Cup squad as an opening back up. However, due to the success of Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan, the BCCI selectors have elected him captain of the Indian Asian Games side instead.
It is, however, a good thing for him because the selectors regard him as a potential Indian star if Rohit Sharma retires, and Gaikwad can then take over and perhaps captain the side in the future.
Yashasvi Jaiswal:
Yashasvi Jaiswal is one such talent who has demonstrated why he is so highly regarded by professionals and those who have witnessed him bat up close. The Mumbaikar created an indelible impression on his India debut in Tests and T20Is against the West Indies.
He hit a century in his maiden Test and a fifty in only his second T20I encounter. Jaiswal will see additional opportunities as India transitions to the next generation of players in the coming years.
Sanju Samson:
Ishan Kishan beat Sanju Samson to the position of backup keeper and middle-order batter in the Indian World Cup 2023 squad. The Kerala hitter lately had several chances to solidify his status in the Indian team, but other than a few good hits, he couldn’t make a large enough score to stand out.
Given that Samson has been on the Indian scene since 2015, it is only fair to say that he missed the boat by failing to capitalise on the opportunities that came his way. His is now one of the most depressing stories, as the batter remains on the sidelines on the national level.
Rishab Pant:
Rishabh Pant is one player India would have given anything to have in their World Cup 2023 squad, but despite his faster-than-expected recovery from car accident injuries, the Delhi keeper-batter is still a few months away from full fitness and missed the World Cup 2023 tournament bus.
Rinku Singh:
Rinku Singh made an immediate impact in his India debut against Ireland, as he has done in prior T20 games, notably the Indian Premier League. He has a List-A average of over 50 and a very excellent FC record as well, with 3000+ runs at an average of 58 and 7 centuries to his name.
He is the future, and he may be offered more opportunities after the Indian squad moves on to the next generation of players after the World Cup.
Washington Sundar:
One notable absence from India’s World Cup 2023 lineup is a right-handed finger spinner, who may make a significant difference against opposing left-handers. In the 2011 World Cup, Harbhajan Singh and Ravi Ashwin completed the task.
However, India might have gone with Washington Sundar, an Ashwin-like bowler who is also prepared to bowl with the new ball. Granted, he missed several opportunities to prove his worth due to injuries, but he is again healthy and hopeful for more opportunities in the future.
Rahul Chahar:
India also lacks a leg-spinner in their lineup, and while Rahul Chahar was tested in T20Is, his lack of control on the ball led to the Indian team moving on to other bowlers, including Yuzvendra Chahal.
Rahul Chahar has lost favour with the Indian selection, and his performance in the recent IPL 2023 was also underwhelming. He can only hope for more exposure and opportunity to establish his value and re-enter the Indian team’s lineup.
Arshdeep Singh:
Indian cricketer Arshdeep Singh might be a significant loss for the Indian side, as they don’t have any left-arm pace bowling options who can attack from a different angle. Arshdeep has performed admirably in the little opportunities he has had, however, he has only played T20s.
He has 50 wickets in 32 T20Is but has yet to grab a single one in the three ODIs he has played. This could be why Arshdeep Singh was nominated to the Asian Games roster but not considered for the World Cup.
Prasidh Krishna:
Player Prasidh Krishna was overlooked for the World Cup because the BCCI needed a backup pace all-rounder for Hardik Pandya.
With Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammad Shami in the pace department, with Hardik Pandya as support, India couldn’t afford to add another pacer to their 15-man roster. Shardul’s batting skill also makes him an asset to the Indian team, which might be useful.
Yuzvendra Chahal:
Yuzvendra Chahal would be the most disappointed if he did not make the ICC World Cup 2023 bus. Chahal, who formerly shared a powerful spin combo with Kuldeep Yadav for India and regularly picked up wickets in the middle overs, has not played many ODIs in 2023.
In recent ODIs, the Indian team management has only used one wrist spinner in the XI, and with Kuldeep Yadav fit, he was picked over Chahal, who has 121 wickets in 72 ODIs with a best of 6/42.
Chahal was also passed over for the Asia Cup 2023, indicating that he was not in the Indian World Cup squad’s plans.
So, this was all about the players who would miss the ODI World Cup 2023. Also read, Harbhajan backs Suryakumar Yadav in the ODI World Cup squad.
