The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will announce an 18-member provisional squad for the World Cup 2023 next week. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar has arrived in Sri Lanka and will watch out for a few players like KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and Prasidh Krishna. While common logic suggests India won’t tinker from the Asia Cup squad, Agarkar may put a surprise name in the squad just like Australia and England did.
The Asia Cup squad saw one surprise inclusion in the form of Tilak Varma and one surprise omission also in the form of Sanju Samson. Surprise because KL Rahul’s fitness is still in doubt. The LSG skipper will miss India’s first two matches against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. The deadline for naming the ODI World Cup squad is September 5.
According to an Indian Express report, the Agarkar-led panel will name the World Cup squad after India’s game against Nepal. With Rahul set to miss the clash, it remains to be seen if the Agarkar-led panel takes the risk and names Rahul in the World Cup squad.
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For the Asia Cup squad, India have named Ishan Kishan as the backup wicketkeeper to Rahul. Samson is a traveling reserve. Kishan will keep wickets in India’s two opening games in the Asia Cup against Pakistan and Nepal and bat at five, a position Rahul has batted in ODIs. Kishan’s inclusion implies that India might not play Tilak Varma at number six or seven. Apart from Kishan, Rahul, and Samson, Agarkar will also keep a tab on Shreyas Iyer.
The KKR skipper will return to the side after four months and will slot at the number 4 position during the Asia Cup – a position India has struggled of late in ODIs. In the bowling, the selectors will keep a tab on Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Kuldeep Yadav. With no Yuzvendra Chahal, Yadav’s performance will be monitored and so will Axar Patel’s.
As of now, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Shami, & Siraj are certain to be in the World Cup squad.
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