Who should lead India’s Missing XI for World Cup 2023?

The Indian squad for the ODI World Cup 2023 was revealed on Tuesday. The selection of the 15 players for the all-important tournament, which begins in India next month, followed the anticipated pattern. The nation’s billion hopes will rest on this squad’s shoulders as they aim to secure a third ODI World Cup trophy in November. While the picked squad is expected to perform well, the exclusion of certain players has sparked discussions among fans. Given the talent of the players who were left out, who should captain the XI made up of India’s notable absentees?

Shikhar Dhawan

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The southpaw, who had been instrumental in India’s last ICC ODI campaigns, was overlooked by the selectors in favor of the young talent Shubman Gill. Shikhar Dhawan’s outstanding performances in ICC events are particularly noteworthy. His partnership at the top with Rohit Sharma, a left-right combination, would have undoubtedly posed a significant challenge for opposing bowlers.

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal, a relatively fresh face in international cricket, represents a highly promising talent in the cricketing world, and his inclusion in India’s World Cup squad would have been a valuable asset. This dynamic opener had a remarkable season, not only in terms of traditional statistics but also in terms of his overall impact on the team.

Ruturaj Gaikwad

While Gaikwad hasn’t made a significant impact in his limited international appearances, his undeniable talent is unquestionable. He has showcased his batting prowess in domestic cricket and the IPL, establishing himself as one of India’s most promising batters. His inclusion as the number four batter in the World Cup squad would have valuable depth to the team.

Sanju Samson

The exclusion of Sanju Samson sparked widespread debate and surprise among both fans and cricket experts. It’s important to note that Samson has consistently delivered strong performances in ODIs, maintaining an impressive batting average of 55.7 in the 50-over format. However, despite his solid statistics, the Indian selectors once again chose to overlook him.

Tilak Varma

Tilak Varma’s absence from India’s World Cup 2023 squad is conspicuous, considering his limited exposure to 50-over matches. Nevertheless, his recent T20 performances have firmly established his significant potential.

Washington Sundar

Sundar, an off-spinner with batting skills, raised some remote considerations about his inclusion in the team. His last ODI appearance for India was in January 2023, but a hamstring injury ruled him out of IPL 2023. The decision not to include him might be attributed to his lack of recent game time and the presence of alternatives like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.

Ravichandran Ashwin

There were discussions regarding the possibility of including an off-spinner, particularly Ravichandran Ashwin, in the squad. However, Ashwin has made it clear that he has no regrets about not being part of the World Cup plans. His last ODI appearance was in January 2022 when India played against South Africa.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been left out of the ODI World Cup 2023 squad, indicating that the team management has moved on to other bowlers. His last ODI appearance was in January 2022, and he hasn’t featured in this format for over 18 months.

Prasidh Krishna

Pacer Prasidh Krishna has also been left out of the World Cup 2023 squad. He was selected for the Ireland T20I series and made a strong comeback alongside Jasprit Bumrah. Krishna was initially named in the team for the Asia Cup but ultimately lost his spot, possibly to Shardul Thakur.

Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep Singh has been selected as a pacer for the Indian squad in the 2023 Asian Games. However, due to a scheduling conflict with the ICC World Cup 2023, players participating in the Asian Games have not been considered for selection in the World Cup squad.

Yuzvendra Chahal

A significant absence from the World Cup 2023 squad is Yuzvendra Chahal. According to Sharma, the team’s management explored various possibilities for including players in the squad. Chahal hasn’t participated in an ODI since January 2023 and has been lacking game time in the 50-over format recently. Additionally, it’s evident that Kuldeep Yadav has surpassed him in terms of performance in 2023.

India’s missing XI for World Cup 2023: Shikhar Dhawan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson (WK), Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Bench: Unadkat, Rishabh Pant, Umran Malik, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda