New Delhi, September 5, 2023 – The Indian cricket team, led by Captain Rohit Sharma and Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarakar, has unveiled its 15-member squad for the forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The tournament is scheduled to kick off on October 5 in India, and the team selection largely aligns with expectations, with Sharma spearheading the squad and Hardik Pandya named as his deputy.
While star players such as Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammad Siraj were automatic choices, the selection dilemma in the middle order had been a point of discussion. A fully recovered Shreyas Iyer has secured his place in the squad, and Suryakumar Yadav will serve as the backup for the middle-order position. Ishan Kishan’s impressive performances in ODIs not only edged Sanju Samson out of the squad but also make a compelling case for him to feature in the playing XI ahead of KL Rahul.
In line with the strategy employed during the Asia Cup, India has opted not to include an off-spinner, instead going with three left-arm spinners in Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. Kuldeep Yadav remains the sole genuine spin-bowling option. In the fast-bowling department, the trio of Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj will be complemented by seam-bowling all-rounders Pandya and Shardul Thakur.
Notably, pacer Prasidh Krishna and left-handed middle-order batsman Tilka Verma, who were part of the Asia Cup squad, have missed out on selection.
Here’s the complete 15-man squad representing India in the 50-over World Cup
- Rohit Sharma (Captain)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- Ishan Kishan
- KL Rahul
- Hardik Pandya (Vice-Captain)
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Axar Patel
- Shardul Thakur
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Shami
- Mohammed Siraj
- Kuldeep Yadav
While the deadline for nations to submit squad details expires today, a separate window for making changes remains open until September 27. This extension allows cricket boards the flexibility to modify their squads if necessary.
India’s World Cup campaign will commence on October 8 with a match against Australia in Chennai, followed by a clash with Afghanistan on October 11 in Delhi. The highly anticipated India vs. Pakistan encounter is scheduled for October 15 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
As the host nation, Rohit Sharma and his team aim to secure the trophy in front of their home crowd, marking India’s first time hosting the prestigious ICC tournament since 2011. Given their status as hosts, India is considered one of the tournament favorites, continuing the trend of the last three champions being the host countries: India in 2011, Australia in 2015, and England in 2019.
The league stage of India’s campaign will conclude on November 11, and here’s the complete schedule for India’s matches in the ODI World Cup 2023 (all India matches are set to begin at 2 pm IST):
India’s Full Schedule for ODI World Cup 2023
- India vs. Australia – October 8, Chennai
- India vs. Afghanistan – October 11, Delhi
- India vs. Pakistan – October 15, Ahmedabad
- India vs. Bangladesh – October 19, Pune
- India vs. New Zealand – October 22, Dharamsala
- India vs. England – October 29, Lucknow
- India vs. Qualifier 2 – November 2, Mumbai
- India vs. South Africa – November 5, Kolkata
- India vs. Qualifier 1 – November 11, Bengaluru
