KL Rahul, Shardul Thakur in India’s World Cup squad
KL Rahul has been included in India’s ODI World Cup squad regardless of not having performed any aggressive cricket since May this 12 months. Rahul, India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter within the format, is presently making ready to fly out to Sri Lanka for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup after passing a health evaluation on the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru on September 4.
Middle-order batter Tilak Varma and quick bowler Prasidh Krishna are the 2 gamers from the present squad of 17 in Sri Lanka to have missed out, together with Sanju Samson, who’s a reserve participant on the Asia Cup.
Ishan Kishan has retained his place as the opposite wicketkeeper-batter within the squad. Kishan underscored his utility by top-scoring with 82, his fourth successive ODI half-century, in India’s rained-out Asia Cup opener towards Pakistan in Pallekele on September 2.
Despite Kishan’s kind elevating the opportunity of him taking part in as a specialist middle-order batter, the selectors additionally picked Suryakumar Yadav within the 15 – Suryakumar, a T20 large, has middling ODI numbers, a mean of 24.22 with two half-centuries in 24 innings, and has confessed to not fairly having the ability to crack the 50-over sport.
Rahul, who final performed an ODI in March this 12 months, tore a tendon in his proper thigh throughout the IPL and needed to endure surgical procedure in May. He was chosen within the Asia Cup squad following intensive rehab on the NCA, however was then dominated out of the primary two matches after choosing up a recent niggle.
“We had a couple of fitness issues that we had to look at, but all three [Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer], who had long-term injuries have come through,” India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar mentioned in a press convention. “KL is looking good. We feel this gives us the best balance to try and do well. With KL, he was part of the camp in Bangalore, he looked really good there, has got over his niggle. He played a couple of games over the last two days. I think he kept for 50 overs and batted for around 50 overs too, so he looks good and we’re happy to have him.”
Last week, Rahul Dravid had expressed satisfaction with Rahul’s restoration whereas additionally explaining that India have been taking a “slightly more cautious approach” with him. Since then, Rahul has been on the NCA working with head physio Nitin Patel and had a match simulation train on Monday to check his stage of readiness.
Bumrah will lead the tempo assault that features Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami, in addition to fast-bowling allrounders Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur. Kuldeep Yadav is the frontline wristspinner, with Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja the left-arm spin-bowling allrounders. The squad does not have a specialist offspinner.
“Clearly there will be discussions given we have both Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel who spin the ball into left-handers,” Agarkar mentioned. “[But] both give us depth in batting. Kuldeep takes the ball away. In 50 overs cricket, perhaps you would ideally want an offspinner but this gives us the best balance. Seamers tend to bowl a lot more in ODIs as compared to T20 cricket, and perhaps you’re a little more under pressure if you don’t have an offie, so we’re happy with the guys we have.”
While the deadline to submit the World Cup squad to the ICC is September 5, groups could make adjustments till September 28 while not having approval from the ICC. This provides India three extra ODIs towards Australia after the Asia Cup to present gamers corresponding to Rahul and Iyer extra sport time. India open their World Cup marketing campaign on October 8, once they tackle Australia in Chennai.
India’s World Cup squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj