Former India batsman and 2011 World Cup winner Suresh Raina has picked two players who could be India’s ‘trump cards’ in the upcoming World Cup 2023 at home. Interestingly, these two players are not Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – but they are Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav.
India will once again start another ICC tournament as strong favorites, but this time, with the ODI World Cup happening at home after 12 years, the Men In Blue would be hoping to end their ICC trophy title drought.
For that, Suresh Raina believes, Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah will have to make a difference more than anyone else
Speaking at the event of the ‘Right to Excellence – Sports Summit 2023,’ Suresh Raina was asked about who will be India’s trump cards in the World Cup 2023.
“I think Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav will be India’s trump cards in the World Cup,” Raina replied.
Kuldeep Yadav has been in sensational form this year: among the bowlers of the 10 teams that will feature in the WC 2023, Kuldeep is the leading wicket-taker in 2023 with 31 wickets in only 14 bowling innings at a stunning average of only 15.
As for Jasprit Bumrah, the fast bowler has made his return to the ODI side after a long injury layoff in the Asia Cup 2023 recently and has been on the money straightaway with his lines and lengths.
Suresh Raina talks about India’s batting order
Apart from Shreyas Iyer’s uncertainty about his form and injury, India’s batting order seems settled. Suresh Raina emphasized the importance of Virat Kohli’s role in the middle-order. The former CSK batsman reckons if Kohli stays at the crease till 40 overs, India are more likely to win the match.
“Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and [Shubman] Gill, agar woh teenon perform karengey then we have a very good middle-order,” Raina added.
“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 wanna win the World Cup.”
