World Cup 2023: On Tuesday, Team India rolled out its 15-man squad for the much-anticipated ICC ODI World Cup, slated to begin on October 5 in India. While the roster retains a majority of players from the Asia Cup squad, a few key omissions have left fans and cricket pundits surprised. Notably, players like Prasidh Krishna, Tilak Varma, and Sanju Samson didn’t make the cut. Other glaring omissions include seasoned cricketers like Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, R Ashwin, and Washington Sundar.
Immediately after the announcement, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed his astonishment on social media. “Surprised not to see Yuzvendra Chahal in the World Cup squad for Team India. Pure match winner,” he wrote. Chahal has an impressive record, boasting 121 wickets in 72 ODIs. Moreover, he was a part of the 2019 ODI World Cup squad, which made it to the semi-finals. However, he played only two ODIs in 2023. Surprisingly, India has opted for just one specialist spinner in their final 15: Kuldeep Yadav.
The revelation came during a press conference in Sri Lanka, where BCCI Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, alongside Team India captain Rohit Sharma, unveiled the team. Teams have until September 28 to revise their squads, leaving room for potential last-minute changes. Hence, fans are eagerly watching to see if Chahal could make a surprise return.
World Cup 2023: Harbhajan Singh Posts A Message After Yuzvendra Chahal’s Exclusion From India’s Squad
Currently, India is in the middle of the Asia Cup, preparing for their Super Four clash against arch-rivals Pakistan. Furthermore, they will host Australia for a three-match ODI series later this month, giving them final preparatory time ahead of the World Cup. The mega tournament will kick off with a match between defending champions England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma and his men will start their campaign against Australia on October 8 in Chennai.
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The squad announcement has stirred conversations around India’s World Cup ambitions and strategies. The glaring omissions suggest a calculated gamble by the selectors, putting faith in a younger lot while sidelining seasoned campaigners. While Harbhajan’s concerns echo the sentiments of many, it remains to be seen if the BCCI will heed these calls and make last-minute amendments. With the cut-off date for squad changes still a few weeks away, one can only speculate about possible twists in this unfolding narrative.
Surprise not to see @yuzi_chahal in the World Cup squad for Team India. pure Match winner
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 5, 2023
India’s Squad For ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (VC), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj
