India is set to host this year’s ODI World Cup. The deadline for announcing the team was September 5th, and adhering to it, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selectors have anounced a 15-member squad. However, changes can still be made until September 27th. Captain Rohit Sharma will lead the team, with Hardik Pandya serving as the vice-captain, aiming to bring the ICC Trophy to India after a decade.
Openers: India’s opening role will be fulfilled by Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, with Ishan Kishan as the backup opener. Kishan may also find opportunities in the middle order.
Middle Order: The middle-order responsibilities will be shouldered by Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul. Suryakumar Yadav is also in the squad, ready to step in if needed.
Wicketkeepers: India has two wicketkeeper options in Rahul and Ishan Kishan, with Rahul expected to take on the primary role.
All-rounders: India has included four all-rounders in the squad, namely Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Shardul Thakur.
Bowlers: The fast bowling department will be led by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj. The spin department will be covered by Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel.
India will begin their World Cup campaign against Australia on October 8th at Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium. Additionally, the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash is scheduled for October 14th in Ahmedabad.
Similar to the 2019, this year’s World Cup will be play in a round-robin format, with all ten teams competing against each other. The top four teams will advance to the semi-finals, and the final will be held in Ahmedabad on November 19th.
Let’s take a closer look at the 15 players in India’s World Cup squad and their performances from 2022 to the present:
Rohit Sharma (Captain):
Strengths:
Exceptional batting skills, particularly in limited-overs cricket.
Captaincy experience from leading the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Ability to adapt to different conditions.
Excellent opening partnership with Shikhar Dhawan.
Weaknesses:
Can sometimes struggle against swinging deliveries early in his innings.
Inconsistent form on foreign pitches, especially in challenging conditions.
Virat Kohli
Strengths:
World-class batting with a strong technique.
Exceptional fitness and fielding skills.
Leadership and experience as a former captain.
Consistency in scoring runs.
Weaknesses:
A tendency to get out in pressure situations.
Recent dip in century-scoring rate.
Shubman Gil
Strengths:
Young and promising talent with a solid technique.
Ability to anchor the innings and play long innings.
Good against both pace and spin.
Weaknesses:
Limited experience in international cricket.
Can sometimes struggle to convert starts into big scores.
Shreyas Iyer
Strengths:
Middle-order stability with a wide range of shots.
Excellent fielding skills.
Experience in finishing matches in the IPL.
Weaknesses:
Limited exposure to international cricket.
Still developing his consistency at the highest level.
KL Rahul
Strengths:
Versatile batting style, can adapt to various roles in the batting order.
Exceptional wicketkeeping skills.
Aggressive stroke play.
Weaknesses:
Inconsistent form in recent times.
Needs to improve his strike rate in the middle overs.
Ishan Kishan
Strengths:
Explosive batting at the top of the order.
Ability to take on the bowlers from the outset.
Agility behind the stumps.
Weaknesses:
Relatively inexperienced in international cricket.
Vulnerable to quality fast bowling.
Suryakumar Yadav
Strengths:
Aggressive batting style and a wide range of shots.
Experience in the IPL and T20 cricket.
Fielding prowess in the inner circle.
Weaknesses:
Limited experience in the ODI format.
Can be inconsistent with his performances.
Hardik Pandya
Strengths:
Explosive batting in the lower middle-order.
Useful medium-fast bowling option.
Athletic fielding abilities.
Weaknesses:
Recent injury concerns, which may affect his bowling.
Can struggle against quality spin bowling.
Ravindra Jadeja
Strengths:
Exceptional fielding skills and athleticism.
Handy left-arm spin bowling.
Capable lower-order batting.
Weaknesses:
Limited wicket-taking ability in ODIs compared to Tests.
Batting form can be inconsistent.
Axar Patel
Strengths:
Accurate left-arm spin bowling.
Lower-order batting capabilities.
Economical in the middle overs.
Weaknesses:
Limited experience in ODI cricket.
May not provide as much turn on non-subcontinent pitches.
Shardul Thakur
Strengths:
Handy lower-order batting contributions.
Ability to generate seam movement.
Variety in his bowling with slower balls and yorkers.
Weaknesses:
Can be expensive with the ball at times.
Needs to work on consistency in line and length.
Jasprit Bumrah
Strengths:
One of the best fast bowlers in the world.
Excellent control and variations.
Ability to take wickets in the death overs.
Weaknesses:
Can be injury-prone.
Recent form has been less dominant compared to earlier years.
Kuldeep Yadav
Strengths:
Deceptive left-arm wrist-spin bowling.
Wicket-taking ability in the middle overs.
Experience in international cricket.
Weaknesses:
Struggled with form and consistency in recent years.
Vulnerable to being targeted by aggressive batsmen.
Mohammed Shami
Strengths:
Ability to swing the ball both ways.
Yorker and seam-up delivery specialist.
Experience in handling pressure situations.
Weaknesses:
Fitness concerns and susceptibility to injuries.
Can be expensive if not on target.
Mohammed Siraj
Strengths:
Aggressive pace bowling with the ability to generate bounce.
Improved control and consistency.
Confidence gained from international exposure.
Weaknesses:
Still relatively new to international cricket.
Needs to work on maintaining consistency over longer spells.
Each player brings a unique set of skills and attributes to the team, and their performance will be crucial in India’s quest for World Cup glory. The team management will need to leverage their strengths and address their weaknesses to achieve success in the tournament.
As India gears up to host the World Cup, fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the exciting match and remarkable performances that this prestigious tournament promises to deliver. Stay tuned for all the action as these 15 players aim to bring glory to the nation on the global stage.
