New Delhi: The Indian Cricket Team announced a final revised 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup on Thursday. The last-minute alteration in the team composition was prompted by an injury just days before the tournament.
All-rounder Axar Patel, who was initially part of the World Cup squad, has been replaced by veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Patel was sidelined due to an injury sustained during the Asia Cup against Bangladesh and has not yet fully recovered.
Patel was a spin-bowling all-rounder option for the Indian squad and has been replaced by Ashwin, taking his all-round skills into account. Ashwin’s inclusion is set to add a dynamic dimension to the team with his ability to make significant contributions with both the bat and ball. Apart from Ashwin replacing Patel, there are no changes to the World Cup squad.
Captain Rohit Sharma is at the helm of the batting lineup, comprising Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, and Ishan Kishan, who also offers an extra wicketkeeping option.
Additionally, the squad boasts a strong contingent of all-rounders, including Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Shardul Thakur.
The bowling lineup consists of four seamers, namely Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur, along with three spinners: Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Indian squad for World Cup: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj
The World Cup kicks off on October 5th, featuring a highly anticipated match between England and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The tournament will wrap up with the final at the same venue on November 19th. India’s campaign begins in Chennai on October 8th against Australia.
The World Cup will feature ten teams playing 48 matches across ten venues from October 5 to November 19. The venues include Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune. Additionally, practice games will be held in Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram, along with Hyderabad.
As the ODI World Cup returns to India, fans are brimming with anticipation. It has been over a decade since the last World Cup was held in India, where the home team emerged victorious in a memorable final. With the upcoming tournament, fans have high hopes of witnessing Team India break their World Cup drought and lift the coveted trophy once again.