ODI World Cup 2023: Five big snubs in Indian squad

The ODI World Cup 2023 will be hosted by India from October 5 to November 19. A significant development in the story was the squad announcement by India on August 5, Tuesday. A total of 15 players were named in the squad without a single travelling reserve. As such, several deserving players missed out on their chances. Here are the top five players.

Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal (Source – Twitter)

One significant omission from the squad is Yuzvendra Chahal. Sharma explained that the team’s decision-makers thoroughly explored various ways to include players in the squad. Chahal hasn’t participated in an ODI match since January 2023 and has been absent from the 50-over format recently. Furthermore, Kuldeep Yadav has surpassed his friend in terms of performance in 2023.

Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson (Source – Twitter)

Another notable absence is Sanju Samson, who failed to secure a spot in the 15-member team. Samson was part of the Indian team for the series against West Indies and featured in two ODIs during the three-match series. However, with KL Rahul‘s return and Ishan Kishan emerging as the frontrunner for the wicket-keeper’s position, Samson lost his place in the squad.

Tilak Varma

Tilak Varma (Source – Twitter)

The young left-handed batter, Tilak Varma, emerged as a contender for the middle-order position in India’s ODI World Cup squad. He surprisingly earned a spot in the Asia Cup team, leading to speculation that he might even surpass Suryakumar Yadav. However, when the final squad was announced, Surya retained his place, and Varma did not make the cut.

Prasidh Krishna

Prasidh Krishna (Source: Twitter)

The pace bowler, Prasidh Krishna, also found himself omitted from the squad. He was selected for the Ireland T20I series and made an impressive return, sharing the stage with Jasprit Bumrah. Krishna was initially included in the Asia Cup team but ultimately lost his spot, possibly to Shardul Thakur in a tight competition.

Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar (Source: Twitter)

Sundar, who is also an off-spinner and a valuable lower-order batsman, sparked some remote considerations regarding his inclusion in the team. He last represented India in an ODI match in January 2023 but later suffered a hamstring injury, which ruled him out of the IPL 2023 season. His lack of recent game time, coupled with the presence of other viable options like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, likely worked against his inclusion in the squad.