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Indias Probable Squad For 2023 World Cup Will Samson And Chahal Be Axed

India's Probable Squad For 2023 World Cup | Will Samson and Chahal Be Axed?

image-ll26nwms Team India [Twitter]

To the delight of cricket fans across the globe, the much-awaited ICC World Cup will take the centre stage in October-November this year. The tournament scheduled between October 5 and November 19 will witness ten formidable teams battle it out for the coveted trophy.

On Monday, Australia announced an eighteen-member probable squad for the marquee event and as we inch closer to the World Cup, the other participating teams are expected to release their respective squads shortly. So, as all sides gear up for the tournament, let's see what could be India's squad for the World Cup on home soil.

Openers: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan

It's certain that rising star Shubman Gill will open the batting alongside skipper Rohit Sharma. Since India have moved on from Shikhar Dhawan, Gill has grabbed every given opportunity, sealing his place in the ODI team.

Meanwhile, swashbuckling batter Ishan Kishan is expected to be picked as the third opener and backup keeper. The southpaw performed admirably in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series against West Indies, helping India bag the trophy by securing a 2-1 win.

Batters: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav

image-ll26pd8t Virat Kohli in action [Twitter]

The number three position will be occupied by former captain Virat Kohli, who has been a renowned brute force with the bat for India over the years. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are expected to bat at number four and five, respectively, owing to their incredible numbers at those positions.

While Rahul is expected to feature in the Asia Cup, Iyer hasn't yet recovered from his back injury. If the Mumbai batter doesn't get fit in time, India might consider including Sanju Samson as his backup. On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav is in line to make it into the final fifteen, as he has been consistently backed by the team management.

Shreyas Iyer: India's Lethal Middle Order Weapon For World Cup 2023h

All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel

The experienced duo of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja will certainly feature in the playing XI, while Axar Patel will likely be picked up as the backup all-rounder. The trio strengthens the Indian line-up, bringing incredible value with both bat and ball to the table. Pandya will be slotted at number six, with Jadeja batting at number seven. Meanwhile, Patel could either replace Jadeja or play as the third spinner at some stage in the tournament.

Spinner: Kuldeep Yadav

image-ll26u6k6 Kuldeep Yadav celebrating a dismissal [AP]

The leadership group comprising Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma has given a longer rope to Kuldeep Yadav, who has been India's go-to man in the ODIs. So, in all likelihood, the chinaman bowler will spearhead India's spin bowling department, aided by Jadeja and Patel.

Pacers: Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami

Shardul Thakur will be slotted at number eight, considering his knack of picking wickets and contributing handily with the bat down the order. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will play as the frontline seamers, with Mohammed Shami being their backup.

Reserve Players

India will pick three reserve players alongside these fifteen names. There should be a batter, a spinner and a fast bowler making it into the shortlisted eighteen-member team. Considering the management's preferences, we reckon the Men in Blue will go ahead with Sanju Samson, Mukesh Kumar and Yuzvendra Chahal for these three spots.