The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 is just around the corner and cricket fans all over the world are eagerly waiting for the action to begin on October 5 in India. The host nation, India, is under immense pressure to end their title drought and lift the coveted trophy in front of their home crowd. But who will be the players to represent India in the mega event? Former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden has shared his opinion on Star Sports and named his India squad for the upcoming World Cup. And he has some surprise inclusions and exclusions.
Hayden picked five batsmen in his squad, with Rohit Sharma leading the team as captain. He also included Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav as the other specialist batters. He opted for three wicket-keepers in his squad, with KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson making the cut. He said that these players can also bat in different positions and provide flexibility to the team.
In the bowling department, Hayden chose Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel as the spin options, while Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Jasprit Bumrah were his fast bowlers. He also included Hardik Pandya as an all-rounder who can bowl his full quota of overs if needed.
However, Hayden also left out some big names from his squad, such as Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He said that it must be tough for the selectors to choose between Chahal and Kuldeep, who are both superb leg-spinners. He also said that Pant and Kumar are great players but he had to make some tough choices.
Here is Matthew Hayden’s 15-member squad for India’s World Cup campaign:
- Rohit Sharma ©
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Virat Kohli
- Shubman Gill
- Shreyas Iyer
- Sanju Samson
- KL Rahul
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Hardik Pandya
- Mohammed Shami
- Mohammed Siraj
- Shardul Thakur
- Ishan Kishan
- Axar Patel
Do you agree with Hayden’s picks? Who would you include or exclude from your India squad? Let us know in the comments section below. Follow 12cricket.com for all the latest news and updates from the world of cricket.
