The newly appointed chief selector of the Indian cricket team, Ajit Agarkar, is making bold decisions regarding the ODI team that will host the Cricket World Cup 2023 later this year. Two established players, Ravichandran Ashwin and Suryakumar Yadav, are set to be axed before the showpiece event.
As the teams prepare for the highly anticipated ODI World Cup, most of them have almost finalized their playing 11. However, they will use the upcoming months to try and test the best possible lineup. Each team is strategizing to build a squad that suits the pitch conditions in India. Preference will be given to players with abundant IPL experience, and every team aims to include a wrist spinner to exploit the dusty conditions.
The host country, India, will face immense pressure as they haven’t won any ICC trophy since their 2013 Champions triumph. While the home stadium advantage may work in their favor to some extent, it can also backfire due to the weight of expectations.
Ajit Agarkar, the former Indian all-rounder, has already begun working on the team’s selection plan. He has spent strategic time with the coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma in West Indies to strategize and make informed decisions.
In the third week of August, India will announce the squad for the Asia Cup 2023, which will provide clarity regarding the World Cup team selection. However, there are speculations that Suryakumar and Ashwin might be overlooked due to their recent average performances in ODIs.
Despite their recent form, Ashwin’s experience of bowling in Indian conditions may earn him a spot in the team. Currently, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja seem to be the favored spinners for selection.