Xtra Time Web Desk: Ajit Agarkar led senior national selection committee has finalized the 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. KL Rahul secured a spot in the team, while Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and Prasidh Krishna did not make the cut.
Selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar traveled to Sri Lanka, where he met with Indian captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid to make the selections. This meeting took place following the washed-out India vs. Pakistan Asia Cup game in Kandy.
Rohit Sharma will lead the team, and Ishan Kishan has earned a place in the squad due to his impressive middle-order batting performances. The batting lineup will also feature Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and Suryakumar Yadav.
The squad boasts strong all-rounders in Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Shardul Thakur to reinforce the batting depth.
In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and spinner Kuldeep Yadav will spearhead the attack.
KL Rahul’s inclusion was subject to his fitness, and after receiving medical clearance, he joined the squad. Rahul had been recovering from a right thigh surgery and spent considerable time at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. He will be flying to Lanka to join the Indian team for the Asia Cup.
The BCCI had an initial deadline of September 5 to submit the final World Cup squad to the ICC but expedited the selection process after Rahul’s clearance. Rahul is expected to play a vital role in both batting and wicket-keeping during the World Cup, having been a consistent presence in the starting XI despite his injury-related absence for the past three and a half months.