India's squad for the highly anticipated 2023 Cricket World Cup has been officially confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The announcement, made on Tuesday, comes just ahead of the World Cup opener scheduled between India and Australia in Chennai on October 8.
One of the standout inclusions in the 15-member squad is KL Rahul, who has been declared fit to participate in the tournament. His return to the lineup is seen as a significant boost for India's chances in the World Cup.
The Full Squad:
Rohit Sharma (c)
Shubman Gill
Virat Kohli
Shreyas Iyer
Ishan Kishan
Suryakumar Yadav
KL Rahul
Hardik Pandya (vc)
Jasprit Bumrah
Ravindra Jadeja
Shardul Thakur
Axar Patel
Kuldeep Yadav
Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Siraj
Ajit Agarkar, speaking about KL Rahul's inclusion, stated, "There were a couple of fitness issues we had but all three players have come back, KL is looking good. We feel this squad gives us the best balance for this World Cup. KL looked really good there but picked up a niggle just before the Asia Cup. He has gotten over it. He is an important player for us and we are happy to have him."
India's captain, Rohit Sharma, expressed his confidence in Hardik Pandya, emphasizing his importance to the team. "Hardik Pandya is a complete package, his form will be crucial for us at the World Cup. We have picked the best possible combination. We have depth in batting, we have spin and other bowling options."
Teams have until September 28 to make any changes to their World Cup squads, with any alterations beyond this date subject to approval from the International Cricket Council (ICC). The selected Indian squad is geared up and ready to compete on the global stage, with their eyes set on the coveted Cricket World Cup trophy.