With the ODI World Cup 2023 just around the corner the craze for the Indian team is certainly on the rise as the World Cup this time is being hosted by India. Recently, on September 5, the Indian cricket team unveiled its 15-member squad for the ICC World Cup 2023. Rohit Sharma was appointed as the captain, a choice widely anticipated by experts, with Hardik Pandya assuming the role of vice-captain.
A significant development was KL Rahul’s inclusion, having been declared fit just in time for India’s World Cup opener against Australia in Chennai on October 8. The batting lineup comprises Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ishan Kishan. The all-rounders consist of Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shardul Thakur, while Kuldeep Yadav serves as the lone spinner. The pace department features Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah. Despite tough decisions, the selection committee aimed to strike a well-balanced squad.
However, there were several other players who also deserved a chance in the squad but due to stiff competition eventually had to miss out. Let us try making another XI out of those unselected players;
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad (Source: Twitter)
In the 2021 edition of the IPL, Ruturaj Gaikwad made a significant impact in Indian cricket by scoring an impressive 635 runs for the Chennai Super Kings, who won the title. The previous season, he was identified as a promising future talent and performed well in six games, amassing over 200 runs as an anchoring opener with attacking capabilities.
Irrespective of not having a blooming international career so far, the right-hand batter is expected to have a shining future ahead of him. The 26-year-old batter will also be leading the Indian team in the upcoming Asian games.
- Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan (Source: Twitter)
The swashbuckling Shikhar Dhawan gained prominence with a remarkable performance in the 2004 U-19 World Cup, scoring 505 runs, including three centuries. Despite this, he faced tough competition and delayed entry into the Indian team. Dhawan’s omission from the Indian squad since the Bangladesh tour in December raised eyebrows.
With a stellar ODI record of 6793 runs in 167 matches, including 17 centuries, his World Cup heroics in 2019, including a century with a broken thumb, were memorable. However, the Indian selectors seem to have moved on, considering the emergence of Ishan Kishan as a left-handed opening option.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal (Source: Twitter)
Yashasvi Jaiswal, known for his fearless and strong batting, demonstrated remarkable consistency since his U-19 days. His impressive record in both the IPL and domestic cricket with Mumbai in the early 2020s highlights his talent. Jaiswal made a memorable India debut, scoring a Test century and a fifty in his second T20I against West Indies. As India transitions to the next generation of players, Jaiswal is expected to receive more opportunities.
The prolific left-hand batter earned the maiden national call-up based on a tremendous 2023 season in IPL in which Jaiswal scored 625 runs at a strike rate of 164.
- Tilak Varma
Tilak Varma (Source: Twitter)
The left-hand batter earned his name on the back of a terrific couple of IPL seasons which saw him earn a spot in the T20I team that toured the West Indies shore earlier this month. On the basis of some terrific T20I matches the talismanic batter earned a spot in the 15 Man squad for the Asia Cup Also due to ODI inexperience the Andhra Pradesh-born batter missed out on the 15-man squad announced lately for the ODI World Cup 2023.
The 20-year-old batter had shown in a very small sample size of matches that he will serve the Indian cricket for a long time and is also destined to have a great future ahead.
- Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson (Source: Twitter)
Sanju Samson lost his place as the backup wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman to Ishan Kishan in the Indian World Cup 2023 squad. Despite several opportunities, Samson couldn’t consistently deliver big scores to secure his spot, despite being part of the Indian scene since 2015. His struggle to establish himself in the national side is a disheartening tale.
In the limited opportunity that the prolific wicketkeeper batter has got, he has scored runs at an average of over 50 which makes him dangerous in this form of cricket especially batting down the order for the Indian side.
- Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh (Source: Twitter)
Rinku Singh, a promising young Indian talent, was supported by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), joining the ranks of Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti as a relatively lesser-known acquisition. In the midst of local talent and world-class foreign cricketers at KKR, Rinku aims to maximize his learning experience and benefit from the presence of these seasoned players.
In the limited opportunity that the left-hand batter had got in the T20 match against Ireland, Rinku showed his class in both anchoring the innings as well as his range hitting along with some terrific match-winning ability.
- Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar (Source: Twitter)
The notable absence in India’s 2023 World Cup squad is a right-handed finger spinner, crucial against left-handed batsmen. Harbhajan Singh and Ravi Ashwin excelled in this role in the 2011 World Cup. Washington Sundar, a similar bowler capable of using the new ball, could have filled this role. Injuries hindered his chances, but he’s now fit and eager for future opportunities to showcase his skills.
Sundar would have definitely added a new dimension to the monotonous-looking Indian bowling lineup as well and his ability with bat is also second to none.
- Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal (Source: Twitter)
Yuzvendra Chahal, once a key part of India’s spin duo with Kuldeep Yadav in ODIs, is likely the most disappointing omission from the ICC World Cup 2023 squad. The team management’s preference for a single wrist spinner in recent ODIs, coupled with Kuldeep Yadav’s fitness, led to Chahal being sidelined despite his impressive record of 121 wickets in 72 ODIs.
His absence from the Asia Cup 2023 further indicated his exclusion from the World Cup plans. Chahal would certainly be a wicket-taking option condition that the World Cup will be taking place on Indian soil.
- Prasidh Krishna
Prasidh Krishna (Source: Twitter)
Prasidh Krishna’s exclusion from the World Cup squad was primarily due to the BCCI selectors’ focus on securing a backup pace all-rounder for Hardik Pandya. India’s strong pace lineup with Bumrah, Siraj, Shami, and Pandya made it impractical to include another pacer. Shardul Thakur’s batting skills further bolstered his case for selection.
The right-arm pacer made out of his rehabilitation process just ahead of the Asia Cup and was also included in the Asia Cup squad but he is unlikely to get any game in the current Asia Cup. Earlier, in the tour to Ireland, the speedster looked sublime with the ball in hand.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Source: Twitter)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 2012 India debut marked a solution to the team’s fast-bowling deficiency. Despite his moderate pace, he excelled with remarkable swing, especially his deadly inswinger. Bhuvneshwar’s white-ball cricket prowess emerged in 2013, highlighted by his exceptional performance, including a 4 for 8 haul, against Sri Lanka in a Caribbean tri-series, where he finished as the leading wicket-taker with ten scalps in four games.
In the international circuit, the Meerut-born speedster has taken close to 300 wickets and it is also no hidden fact that he has only got better with age. Despite compromising on speed, the right-arm pacer has developed a great death bowling technique.
- Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh (Source: Twitter)
The absence of a left-arm pace bowler like Arshdeep Singh might be a significant gap in the Indian team, as it lacks the variation he could provide. Despite performing admirably in the limited opportunities he’s had, primarily in T20s.
In addition, Â Arshdeep hasn’t made an impact in the 3 ODIs he played, which could explain his omission from the World Cup squad in favor of the Asian Games. He boasts 50 T20I wickets in 32 matches but hasn’t taken any wickets in ODIs so far.
