Table of Contents
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Thursday, unveiled Team India‘s final 15-member squad for the much-anticipated ODI World Cup 2023, with a significant change in the spin-bowling department.
India’s preparations for the ODI World Cup hit a roadblock when Axar Patel, the promising spin-bowling all-rounder, failed to recover in time from a left quadriceps strain sustained during the Asia Cup Super Four match against Bangladesh. Consequently, he was forced to miss the final of the Asia Cup, leaving the Indian team management with a crucial decision to make.
Ravichandran Ashwin replaces Axar Patel
BCCI announced that veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin would replace Axar in the squad. Ashwin had recently made a triumphant return to ODI cricket during the series against Australia, where he showcased his prowess with four wickets in just two matches.
Axar had initially been conditionally included in the ODI World Cup squad, with his participation hinging on his fitness. Unfortunately, he was unable to recover in time to feature in the final ODI against Australia, a game India lost by a margin of 66 runs in Rajkot.
Also READ: Robin Uthappa predicts his India XI for the clash against Australia in ODI World Cup 2023
Ashwin’s World Cup experience to come handy for India
With Ashwin’s inclusion, Team India now have an off-spinning option that was notably absent in their World Cup squad. This addition is expected to be valuable as the tournament progresses and pitches begin to deteriorate, potentially offering significant assistance to the Indian team’s bowling department.
The 37-year-old brings a wealth of experience to the ODI World Cup. He has previously represented India in the 2011 and 2015 editions of the tournament. During India’s last campaign Down Under, Ashwin was instrumental, scalping 13 wickets in eight matches as the team progressed to the semi-finals.
India squad for ODI World Cup 2023:
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.
