Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma and BCCI’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar have unveiled the 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. The team closely resembles the one that participated in the Asia Cup, with only Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna being left out. India has opted for a balanced squad, featuring four fast bowlers – Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Mohammed Siraj, along with three spinners, namely Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav. A notable inclusion is KL Rahul, who had been recovering from an IPL-related injury but is expected to join the team during the later stages of the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and Prasidh Krishna have missed out on selection.
Captain Rohit Sharma leads the batting department, supported by a strong lineup that includes Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ishan Kishan, who also provides wicket-keeping options. The team’s emphasis on batting is further highlighted by the inclusion of all-rounders Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Shardul Thakur. On the bowling front, Jasprit Bumrah, who has shown no signs of injury, will spearhead the pace attack, supported by Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav will be the team’s primary spin option.
The eagerly anticipated ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is scheduled to begin on October 5 with a match between 2019 finalists England and New Zealand at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. The tournament, spanning from October 5 to November 19, is set to be the largest Cricket World Cup ever, featuring ten teams and 48 matches across 10 venues. In an effort to accommodate practice games, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram will join Hyderabad as hosting locations. The teams participating in the event include eight that qualified through the Cricket World Cup Super League, with Sri Lanka and the Netherlands securing the final two spots through the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. The top four teams from the group stage will advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Mumbai and Kolkata, with the final taking place on November 19 in Ahmedabad, with reserve days for the semi-finals and final.
