Team India might be ending their year 2022 on a happy note with a 2-0 Test series win in Bangladesh – though that too was in scare of ending 1-1, but R Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer’s heroics with the bat saved the day – but the BCCI’s task is cut out as they enter 2023, a year with some great opportunities to right the wrongs from the year just gone by.
India have a home ODI World Cup, scheduled for October-November, and their best chance to win an ICC trophy again. Before that, they host 4 Tests vs Australia, a Test series crucial for them to reach the WTC final.
The Indian senior men’s team has failed to lift an ICC trophy since 2013. They have reached a couple of finals – 2014 T20 WC and 2017 Champions Trophy – and four other semi-finals but suffered heartbreaks.
The last two T20 World Cup debacles – 2021 T20 WC group-stage exit and 2022 T20 WC semi-final embarrassment – must wake up the BCCI. In both of these events, either India didn’t know their best XI going into the tournament or didn’t have their best players fit.
A home World Cup later in the year 2023 means that India has about 9-10 months to prepare well. However, as it has been so far under Rohit-Dravid, India have tried too many players, and not gave a significant number of matches to the fringe players. For example, Arshdeep Singh ony made his T20I debut after the IPL; and Chahal, who was a regular part of the Indian team, didn’t play a single match in the T20 WC.
What should the BCCI do to make sure India have clarity of players ahead of 2023 World Cup?
Senior journalist Madhav Sharma has a voiced a strong opinion regarding Team India and their ambition of winning the 2023 ODI World Cup. To avoid the disappointing exits as India had in the last two T20 WC due to chaos among the squad, Madhav Sharma suggested the BCCI selectors and team management identify their squad of 15 by March itself.
This will, he feels, give the players considerable amount of game time and also security, giving them the freedom to experiment as well.
“The ICC @cricketworldcup is going to take place in India next year. The @BCCI must ensure we know our best playing XI and the squad of 15, before the end of March. Pick the best 15 and make them play as many ODI matches as they can before the start of the World Cup,” Madhav Sharma tweeted.
The ICC @cricketworldcup is going to take place in India next year. The @BCCI must ensure we know our best playing XI and the squad of 15, before the end of March.
Pick the best 15 and make them play as many ODI matches as they can before the start of the World Cup.
— Madhav Sharma (@HashTagCricket) December 25, 2022
