Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly has unveiled his selections for India’s ICC World Cup 2023 squad, and his choices have raised eyebrows due to some intriguing omissions. Ganguly opted not to include the trio of Sanju Samson, Prasidh Krishna, and Tilak Varma, all of whom were initially chosen for the Asia Cup 2023. However, Ganguly did welcome the return of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, both of whom had been sidelined due to injury and were subsequently added to the Asia Cup roster. India’s World Cup journey will commence on October 8th in Chennai with a match against Australia.
Ganguly, the former skipper, shortlisted a solid array of batting options that comprised Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Suryakumar Yadav. The specialist wicket-keeper’s role was entrusted to Ishan Kishan, with Rahul serving as an alternative option in case India opts for an additional batsman in the lineup.
All-round category
In the all-rounder category, Ganguly’s picks included Hardik Pandya, along with the duo of left-arm spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. For spin options, Kuldeep Yadav secured a place in the squad.
The fast bowling department echoed few surprises, as Ganguly stuck with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur.
Anticipating potential contingencies, Ganguly named three backup alternatives in case any of the primary players face unavailability. He explained, “If one of the batters gets injured, then Tilak Varma can step in; in case of an injured pacer, Prasidh Krishna is the alternative, and Yuzvendra Chahal stands ready as the spinner option,” as conveyed to Star Sports.
Full squad
Sourav Ganguly’s selections for India’s ICC World Cup 2023 squad include: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur.