Indian Cricket Team 15-men Squad For ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - Predicted Based on Asia Cup squad

India to play Australia in their opening game of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Team India picked a 17-member team for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023, scheduled in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. With Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul coming back into the squad, Indian team looks solid for the upcoming tournament. Iyer’s comeback has killed the debate over India’s No. 4 batting choice. KL Rahul’s entry has also made Indian team management feel secure about the wicket-keeping option in the team. Jasprit Bumrah’s comeback means that India will not be looking at other pacers for the big tournaments. India are scheduled to play two league games in Asia Cup 2023 before the final ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 squad comes out.

India will take on Pakistan and Nepal in Asia Cup 2023 to decide on the final 15-member squad for the Cricket World Cup. The World Cup 2023 squad might not see many changes from what they picked for the Asia Cup event. Expected changes could include going without young left-hander Tilak Varma and pacer Prasidh Krishna. The rest of the squad is likely to remain the same as India are set to resume their quest for an ICC title after 10 years. Here’s a look at the possible Indian team for the upcoming World Cup.

Predicted Indian 15-member squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup  

1. Rohit Sharma (c)

Indian captain Rohit Sharma is a certain choice in Indian cricket team as an opener. Rohit has been a magnificent performer for team India in the big ICC event. Rohit slammed five centuries in the previous World Cup. Rohit will be expected to deliver the same performance one more time in the upcoming World Cup as well.

2. Shubman Gill

Right-hand opening batter Shubman Gill is set to accompany his captain, Rohit Sharma, in the upcoming World Cup in 2023. This will be his big assignment for team India after making his international debut. Gill has been a prolific run-scorer for India in the one-day internationals in the last year. Gill has scored 750 runs in 12 innings, with three centuries in the last year.

3. Virat Kohli

India’s premier ODI batter, Virat Kohli, will be playing in his fourth World Cup event of his career. As part of the World Cup 2011 winning squad, he will be looking to sign off on a winning note in his international career. Virat Kohli is another certain choice in the current Indian team. Kohli is set to take the number 3 spot in the Indian batting order.

4. Shreyas Iyer

Coming after a long layoff due to injury, Shreyas Iyer’s inclusion in the Asia Cup squad has quashed all the talks about finding another formidable option for number 4. Iyer will be making his comeback in the Asia Cup, and he is also set to take the field in the Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. Iyer has struggled with a back injury for the last 6–7 months.

5. KL Rahul (wk)

Since KL Rahul has shifted himself to Number 5 in the Indian batting order and also took on the gloves for his team, he has increased his value in the Indian squad. KL Rahul was possibly seen as a replacement opener earlier, but currently, he is only considered for his keeping and finishing roles in the 50-over format. Rahul has played 18 innings in that position and scored at an average of 53.00, with eight fifty-plus scores.

6. Ishan Kishan

The young wicket-keeper provides multiple options for team India, and that puts him above the rest in the race for a place in the World Cup squad. Ishan Kishan is considered a backup opener as well as a back-up wicket-keeper to provide cover in the worst-case scenario of an injury. Kishan played magnificently on the recently concluded West Indies ODI tour.

7. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is India’s premier all-rounder with a possible leadership prospect for the future. Pandya has also started bowling and leading the attack in the T20 format for India at the international level as well as in the Indian Premier League. Pandya will be an X-factor player for team India in the upcoming mega event, and if he can contribute 7-8 overs regularly, he will be key.

8. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja almost took India into the final of the World Cup 2019 with his blistering knock against New Zealand in the semifinal at Old Trafford. Ravindra Jadeja will be taking up the responsibility as mainly a spinner and also to provide cover in the lower order of the batting. Jadeja will be in the World Cup 2023 squad as another certain choice, like Rohit, Virat, and Hardik Pandya.

9. Axar Patel

The selectors have dropped Yuzvendra Chahal and didn’t go ahead with an extra spin bowling option to accommodate Axar Patel in the Asia Cup 2023 squad. Axar Patel is considered for the squad only because of his batting ability and his left-arm spin bowling. India are set to bring along two spin-bowling all-rounders for the World Cup 2023.

10. Shardul Thakur

India’s leading wicket-taker in the one-day international format since the World Cup 2019, Shardul Thakur, will also make it into the Indian squad for the upcoming World Cup in 2023. Developing as a possible all-rounder, Shardul Thakur provides for India in the tail along with his partnership-breaking ability in bowling. Thakur has picked up 54 wickets in 38 games since the last World Cup.

11. Kuldeep Yadav

India’s left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav will be the single specialist spinner in the squad. Kuldeep Yadav has been in magnificent form since he has been getting consistent opportunities. Kuldeep Yadav has picked up 22 wickets in 11 games this year and had a wonderful tour of West Indies. Kuldeep Yadav is also a fixed choice in the playing XI.

12. Jasprit Bumrah

Indian pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah has made a solid comeback in Indian team after an almost year-long absence due to a back injury. Bumrah led the Indian team on the recently concluded Ireland tour, where he picked up four wickets in two T20I games. Bumrah will take up the responsibility of leading the bowling attack in the World Cup 2023.

13. Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami might have been on continuous rest after the World Test Championship Final 2023 at The Oval against Australia, but selectors will never miss out on his name approaching a big event. Mohammed Shami is India’s big-match player with the ability to pick up wickets regularly. India’s one of the finest pace bowlers, Shami, picked up 31 wickets in 11 games in two World Cups.

14. Mohammed Siraj

India’s most improved white-ball player, Mohammed Siraj, will also not find it difficult to find his name among the best 15-members going into India’s ICC title search. Siraj may be picked over Prasidh Krishna due to his continuous exposure to the game in 2023, while Prasidh is just coming back from an injury. Siraj has picked up 19 wickets in eight games in 2023.

15. Suryakumar Yadav

This must be the most controversial selection between the two players, Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav. Suryakumar has been a below-average player in the 50-overs format, but his game in the shorter format ignited the hope of giving him an extended run in the 50-overs squad. Similarly, Sky might be picked over Sanju Samson once more for the World Cup 2023 and would be taken along as an extra batter in the team.

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