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Cricket enthusiasts worldwide are gearing up for the much-anticipated ODI World Cup 2023, and the excitement is palpable. The event is set to return to India after a 13-year hiatus and promises to be a enthralling spectacle. Adding to the excitement, veteran cricketer Suresh Raina recently shared his insights into the tournament.
A member of India’s historic 2011 World Cup-winning squad, Raina has identified two Indian players who he believes could be the nation’s trump cards in the ODI World Cup 2023.
Suresh Raina’s picks
1) Jasprit Bumrah – The wicket-taking machine
Speaking at the Times of India’s “Right to Excellence Sports Summit”, Raina’s first pick for India’s trump card was none other than India’s fiery fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah. Known for his unorthodox action and incredible accuracy, Bumrah has established himself as one of the world’s premier fast bowlers, and Raina believes that his ability to take crucial wickets at crucial moments could be a game-changer for the Men in Blue.
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2) Kuldeep Yadav – The Spin Wizard
Raina’s second pick as India’s trump card was the talented spin maestro Kuldeep Yadav. Known for his mesmerizing wrist spin and ability to deceive batters with flight and turn, Kuldeep has the potential to be a game-changer on pitches that offer assistance to spinners. His ability to take crucial middle-order wickets and apply pressure in the middle overs has emerged as a vital asset in India’s victory on many occasions.
“I think Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav will be India’s trump cards in the World Cup,” said Raina.
Suresh Raina highlights India’s batting strength
Apart from Bumrah and Kuldeep, Raina also talked about the strengths of India’s batting line-up. He highlighted the importance of the top three, comprising Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill and reckoned that if these three prolific batters perform well, then India’s chances to lift the World Cup increase. He even specifically praised Kohli, stating that his form could play a pivotal role in guiding India to World Cup victory.
“Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and (Shubman) Gill, agar woh teenon perform karengey (if these three perform) then we have a very good middle-order.We have Hardik Pandya, we have Ishan Kishan, then we have (Ravindra) Jadeja, Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur. The top three have to fire, especially Virat Kohli. He is a gun player, he is batting pretty well. If he stays probably 35-40 overs, we gonna win the World Cup,” emphasized the Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer.
