Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur should be in the India squad for the ODI World Cup 2023, thinks former cricketer and India head coach Ravi Shastri.
More is better, right? Regarding the all-rounders in the Indian team for the ODI World Cup 2023, such is the opinion of Ravi Shastri.
Shastri talking to Star Sports explained what he thought of the 15-player Team India would field in the major competition.
He said: “I think to be fair, I will go with both the all-rounders – Axar and Shardul, it gives me an opportunity. And keep Sanju Samson on standby in case something happens to the keeper there, where he can just fly out.”
ODI World Cup 2023: How will India line up?
The former Indian all-rounder who was a member of the World Cup-winning team in 1983 also lobbied for the inclusion of additional pacers in the team as well.
“So, now you start with the pacers because, for me, the pacers are important. If you need four over there, you already have one all-rounder (Pandya). So, if Bumrah is fit, he walks in. Shami walks in – that’s two. You’ve got Siraj as a backup, and if needed, Shardul can be there. Shardul has done well in the West Indies one-day game; he can be a backup. And then you have room for one more,” he added.
With eight wickets in three matches, Shardul Thakur led the ODI series against the West Indies in wickets taken. The 31-year-old’s ability to take wickets at important moments isn’t the only quality that supports his candidature for the home ODI World Cup 2023.
Thakur’s ability to score runs across formats since his bat-heroics in the 2021 Gabba Test makes him a good CV.
Sandeep Patil, a former chief of selectors, concurred with Shastri’s opinion.
In a more recent case study, Yuvraj Singh was the only designated all-rounder who was a regular member of the XI for India’s 2011 ODI World Cup campaign. However, the availability of Yusuf Pathan and Suresh Raina, who could roll their arms, provided India more alternatives in home conditions.
The home team’s depth in the batting order and wealth of bowling options will likely again prove useful given the availability of run-scoring pitches in the ODI World Cup 2023.
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