India will take on the West Indies in the 1st of the 3 ODIs at Barbados on July 27. With their eyes firmly fixed on the upcoming ODI World Cup, the Men in Blue are attempting to cement their side by finding the perfect combination. With a lot of options in their hand around the batting and bowling options, the onus will be on the selection of all-rounders and the crucial role that they can potentially play for the side.
In the limited-overs series against the West Indies, India have included three all-rounders in the squad. With the World Cup just months away, this series may well be the start to finalising the team for the marquee event. The all-rounders who will be in the eye of the selectors include Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel.
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Has India nailed their all-rounder issues ahead of 2023 World Cup?
India’s white-ball squad against the West Indies boasts of a formidable line-up of all-rounders. All three Indian stars – Hardik Pandya, Jadeja and Axar Patel – have enjoyed tremendous success in the last couple of years, across all formats of the game. Now, as the World Cup nears, all three will be eyeing to impress the selectors in order to cement a spot in the side.
There is no doubt about Jadeja’s selection to the white-ball squad as well. With his impressive performances over the last year, including in the IPL, Jadeja has enjoyed sustained growth while managing to juggle between formats easily as well. With 2626 runs and 191 wickets to his name, the Southpaw is definitely a strong contender for a spot in the Indian national side for the World Cup.
No one can forget Hardik Pandya’s meteoric rise since his comeback after the serious injury. May it be in the international circuit – both in terms of being an all-rounder and being a part of the leadership – or the IPL, Pandya has tasted success in all of it and there seems to be nothing that can hold him back. Hadrik Pandya has 1584 runs and 72 wickets to his name in the 50-over format. What matters here is Hardik Pandya’s experience, the composure that he has worked on since his return and the skills that he possess. It goes without saying that Hardik Pandya is going to be a definite inclusion in the World Cup squad.
The third all-rounder who stands a chance at grabbing a spot in the World Cup squad is a spinner who has grown tremendously over the last few years. It is none other than Axar Patel, who has impressed everyone with his ability with both the bat and ball, especially in the shorter formats of the game. Axar Patel’s stats at present stand at 58 wickets and 412 runs in the ODI format.
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Why will these 3 players make it to the World Cup squad?
With the World Cup scheduled to be held in India, it is all but safe to say it is an advantage for the home country. However, India will be cautious as the eye to break the ICC trophy drought. Led by Rohit Sharma, there is no doubt that the Indian squad is strong but there is always a doubt about the top order, especially in the knockout stages of tournaments.
Having said this, the above-mentioned all-rounders will play a crucial role for India. Their inclusion will not only add to the batting depth of the side but will also ensure a formidable bowling attack with varieties. It is important to note that all three all-rounders also have abilities to go berserk with the bat and take most bowlers to the cleaners.
The inclusion of these all-rounders will also aid the bowlers. With the World Cup being held in India, has the advantage to make amends to their squads according to the destination, paving the way for these all-rounders to be included in the squad at one point of time or other, if not for every game.
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