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• • Sep 05, 2023 12:30 PM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: Tentative breakdown of batters in India’s 15 for WC

    The top order, comprising Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill, is expected to shoulder the majority of India’s batting responsibilities at the 2023 World Cup. Supporting them in the middle order will be players like Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul. Although India’s middle order has displayed inconsistency recently, their resilience, as demonstrated in the Pakistan Asia Cup game, is a positive sign. One of the beauties of ODIs is that they provide a team with the opportunity to recover in case of an early collapse. Hence, India’s middle order will be well-stocked, with Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan also anticipated to be in contention for key roles.

  • Sep 05, 2023 12:22 PM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: Will India miss Mr. ICC at this year’s spectacle?

    In the context of ICC tournaments, Shikhar Dhawan has been India’s standout run-scorer. However, it appears that India have decided to move on from his services. Ever since Shubman Gill’s impressive rise at the top, during which he scored truckloads of runs, and Ishan Kishan’s double century against Bangladesh, Dhawan’s position in the team has been gradually marginalised. He went from being an automatic selection to captaining India’s second-string squads and ultimately finding himself omitted. Over the past four years, Dhawan has experienced quite a roller-coaster ride, and India would be hoping that Gill can follow in Gabbar’s footsteps, if not surpass him, as the next prolific run-scorer in ICC events.

  • Sep 05, 2023 12:10 PM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: Is Ravichandran Ashwin in the fray?

    As each World Cup approaches, Ravichandran Ashwin’s name invariably resurfaces in discussions. After all, he is India’s premier Test spinner, and his ODI record is far from abysmal, boasting 151 wickets from 113 games. Yet for some reason, Ashwin’s presence in the ODI format faded away long ago. The emergence of ‘KUL-CHA’ closed the doors on Ashwin’s ODI career, and even though this dynamic pair eventually separated, Ashwin hasn’t been able to regain his spot. Having last played an ODI for India in January of the previous year, it’s safe to assume that Ashwin won’t be a part of India’s 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, despite any efforts by Ajit Agarkar and Rohit Sharma to convince his dedicated legion of fans that he was indeed under consideration.

• • Sep 05, 2023 12:00 PM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: A Virat Kohli World Cup loading?

    As surprising as it may seem, Virat Kohli has yet to set a 50-over World Cup on fire. He was a force to be reckoned with at the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups, but for some reason, he hasn’t been able to replicate that same success in the 2015 and 2019 editions of the World Cup. In fact, eight years ago in Australia, Kohli managed to score 305 runs from eight innings, and four years ago in England, as captain, he struck 328 runs from nine innings without a single century. The elusive, groundbreaking Virat Kohli has remained just out of reach for cricket fans. Can he turn the tide this time?

    Kohli was the leading run-scorer at last year’s T20 World Cup and has been on an upward trajectory since breaking his century drought in August 2022. The stage is set, and the big MRF bat is ready to roar. Brace yourselves, folks. In what could potentially be Kohli’s final 50-over World Cup, the KING might have something truly special in store.

  • Sep 05, 2023 11:50 AM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: Rohit Sharma’s time of reckoning

    How dramatically things can change! At the age of 24, Rohit Sharma, who had faced exclusion from India’s 2011 World Cup squad, could scarcely have imagined himself as the captain twelve years later, leading the team in the eagerly awaited return of the world’s most prestigious cricket tournament to India.

    Rohit had a rather modest track record in his initial four years of ODIs. In fact, leading up to the World Cup, he had only managed to accumulate 1248 runs from 57 innings, with an average just slightly above 21. In 2009, Rohit suffered a shoulder injury that sidelined him for six months. Even though he had recovered by the time the World Cup rolled around, his performances were not up to par. Consequently, the Indian team opted to groom Virat Kohli for the No. 4 position, a decision that paid dividends as India clinched the coveted trophy. While sidelined, Rohit had to nurse his wounds and chose not to watch a single game of the World Cup. A little over a decade has passed since then, and Rohit has transformed into one of the world’s most feasrome batter, boasting a World Cup record of 978 runs from 17 matches. If this isn’t a remarkable turnaround, then what is? The question now is whether Rohit can complete the full cycle. Although he missed out on winning last year’s T20 World Cup, there are few greater opportunities for glory than winning a 50-over World Cup, especially when it’s on home turf.

• • Sep 05, 2023 11:42 AM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: Why Kuldeep over Yuzvendra Chahal makes sense

    During the Virat Kohli era, India’s famous spin duo of ‘KUL-CHA’ comprising Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal wreaked havoc, but ever since England tucked into them at the 2019 World Cup, there’ve been only a few occasions when Kuldeep and Chahal have come together. Kuldeep’s fortunes took a downturn, and it seemed like his India career might come to a halt, with the Kohli-Ravi Shastri leadership keeping him on the sidelines for reasons known only to them. However, when Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma assumed control, Kuldeep experienced a resurgence in his India career. Since rejoining the India limited-overs squad, Kuldeep has taken 22 wickets in 13 matches, making him the third-highest wicket-taker among spinners in 2023, trailing only Sandeep Lamichhane and Maheesh Theekshana.

    On the other hand, Yuzvendra Chahal last played an ODI in January this year and was omitted from the squads for the West Indies tour and the Asia Cup. It appears that the team management may have shifted their focus away from him, possibly considering Chahal more suitable for T20Is.

  • Sep 05, 2023 11:30 AM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: What India’s tentative WC squad looks like

    Here is how we expect India’s 15-member squad to look like:

    Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav

    Reserves: Tilak Varma, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson

  • Sep 05, 2023 11:24 AM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: Ticket-booking mess!

    As we await India’s squad announcement, which is still a couple of hours away, let’s dwell on just how abysmal the ticket-booking procedure for the World Cup has been. Tickets have been made available on the BookMyShow platform, and millions of fans have made attempts to secure their seats, but with little success. Unfortunately, this situation is escalating into a crisis. After enduring waiting times of 2, 4, and even 6 hours, many fans are left disappointed as their reservation attempts prove futile, resulting in a growing number of frustrated individuals. Some are even suggesting that not all tickets are available for sale, while others are expressing their frustration with the perceived indifference of the BCCI. Even former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad has voiced his dismay on Twitter and called upon the board to address the issue.

    This is the World Cup we’re talking about — a World Cup being held in India. Fans have waited for years to experience an extravaganza of this magnitude. Surely, there must be a solution to this predicament.

• • Sep 05, 2023 11:05 AM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: India captain Rohit Sharma drops big hint

    Rohit Sharma scored a cracking half-century against Nepal last night, leading India to a commanding 10-wicket victory in a rain-curtailed Asia Cup match. However, this was not the only positive development he shared. During the post-match presentation, the Indian captain revealed that he is already aware of what India’s World Cup squad will look like. While acknowledging that the Asia Cup may not offer a complete perspective to him and the selection committee, Rohit indicated that there are only two positions that needed to be looked at, arguably the No. 4 and 5 positions. The remainder of the squad selection appears to be self-evident.

    “Look, when we came here, in the back of our mind, we knew what our 15 is going to be like. There was one or two spots that we wanted to have a look at, but we were very clear in our mind that the Asia Cup is not going to give us the complete picture of what the squad would be like, because there were only two games that we had to play,” he said

  • Sep 05, 2023 10:55 AM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: BCCI’s last window September 27

    While the deadline for cricket boards to submit squad details concludes today, there is a separate window for making changes that extends until September 27. This gives all cricket boards, including the BCCI, the opportunity to make a few tweaks and adjustments if the need arises.

    Let’s be honest; India has had limited exposure with its tentative squad, having played just a couple of matches (technically, a match and a half), which is clearly insufficient to assess readiness. However, by September 27, Team India will have completed its participation in the Asia Cup and be engaged in a three-match ODI series against Australia. This extended timeframe will provide a clearer picture of the players’ match readiness and fitness.

• • Sep 05, 2023 10:52 AM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: What happens to Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav

    The Mumbai Indians duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma were included in India’s Asia Cup squad but will they be retained for the World Cup is another big question in itself. While Surya’s underwhelming ODI performances contrast with his success in T20Is, the dilemma remains: will the BCCI be willing to experiment?

    Meanwhile, Tilak’s meteoric rise in recent times has been remarkable, making a significant impact on the world stage with scores of 39, 51, and 49 in the West Indies T20Is, impressive enough to catch the selectors’ attention. But here is the catch – all three contenders, Surya, Tilak, and Samson, are vying for the No. 4 position, which appears to be secure with Shreyas Iyer. As a backup, Surya seems to be the frontrunner, unfortunately leaving Tilak or Samson in a precarious position.

  • Sep 05, 2023 10:35 AM IST

    India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: The common factor binding this squad and the one from 2019 World Cup

    Four years have passed since India’s heart-breaking loss to New Zealand in the World Cup semifinal, yet the selectors and management continue to grapple with a persistent question that remains unanswered: Who will be India’s No. 4 batsman? In 2019, India experimented with KL Rahul before turning to Vijay Shankar and Rishabh Pant, but none of these solutions proved successful. Rahul was eventually moved back to the opening position when Shikhar Dhawan suffered a fractured thumb, while Shankar’s World Cup journey ended mysteriously due to a toe injury. Young Pant had only a brief opportunity to show his skills before India’s elimination.

    This time, however, the situation appears to be slightly more promising, as India boasts a fully-fit squad. Despite lingering concerns about Rahul’s fitness, he is expected to assume the role of designated wicketkeeper-batsman, securing his place in the middle order at No. 5. Nevertheless, there are murmurs in the air suggesting that Rahul’s wicketkeeping duties, which require him to squat behind the stumps, might pose challenges, potentially opening the door for Ishan Kishan. This adds intrigue to the battle for the No. 5 spot, with Rahul and Ishan vying for the position. While Rahul has an impressive track record at No. 5, Ishan demonstrated his ability to handle pressure against a formidable opponent like Pakistan. This decision is going to be a toughie!

• Sep 05, 2023 10:25 AM IST

  India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: What we know so far!

  Ajit Agarkar has touched down in town, having flown to Sri Lanka on the night of the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match. Despite the game being called off early due to rain, there was no press conference afterward. The reason behind this was that India captain Rohit Sharma, and coach Rahul Dravid, were engaged in a crucial meeting with the BCCI chairman of selectors to finalise the 15 players who will represent India in the marquee World Cup tournament. During yesterday evening’s India vs Nepal fixture, a decisive meeting was held to conclude all the necessary formalities, thus setting the stage for today’s highly anticipated announcement. The BCCI is scheduled to host a press conference at the Earl Regency in Kandy, Congress Hall, and attendance will be limited exclusively to Indian media personnel.

• Sep 05, 2023 10:15 AM IST

  India World Cup 2023 squad announcement Live: It’s D-DAY, folks

  Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Hindustan Times Sports’ coverage of what promises to be an exhilarating day for cricket enthusiasts. Today marks the eagerly awaited moment when the BCCI unveils India’s 15-member squad for the World Cup, which is set to kick off precisely one month from now on October 5th. The excitement is palpable and there is a certain tension in the air as we wait for the chosen names to be revealed.

  These 15 individuals will carry not only their own aspirations but also the hopes and dreams of 1.3 billion people. India’s quest for a historic World Cup victory and an end to their long-standing yearning for an ICC title rests on the shoulders of this squad. Who will secure their spot in the team, and who will face the disappointment of exclusion? Keep a close eye on this space because we’re just getting started, and the suspense is about to unravel.

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