NEW DELHI: In a highly anticipated announcement, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled India's 15-member squad for the upcoming 2023 Cricket World Cup. The spotlight is on Rohit Sharma, who is set to captain the Men in Blue in a 50-over mega event for the first time. This comes after Rohit's captaincy in the T20 World Cup last year in Australia, where the team reached the semi-finals but narrowly missed the final. Expectations are soaring, especially since the World Cup will be hosted on Indian soil this time around.
In terms of squad composition, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had previously hinted at minimal changes from the ongoing Asia Cup squad. One notable return is KL Rahul, who has been declared fit and included after passing a rigorous fitness test. Rahul is also expected to be available for India's matches in the Super Fours round of the Asia Cup. Another significant inclusion is Ishan Kishan, who solidified his place with a blistering 82-run knock against arch-rivals Pakistan, rescuing India from a precarious situation.
Out of the 17-member Asia Cup squad, Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna have missed out on World Cup selection. Additionally, Sanju Samson has also been left out, adhering to the selectors' vision for the tournament.
As anticipated, the World Cup squad announcement brings no major surprises. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has emphasized their trust in the selected 15 players. He highlighted the crucial roles played by all-rounders like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, who add depth to both batting and bowling line-ups. Unless unforeseen injuries occur, the squad is expected to remain unchanged, aligning with ICC rules, which permit alterations to the squad until September 28.
The India squad for the World Cup 2023 comprises Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj. The nation's hopes now rest on this formidable lineup as they prepare to compete on home turf in a quest for cricketing glory.
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