The Indian team will be heading towards the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup as the favorites to lift the most prestigious trophy in the gentleman’s game. India is among the most successful nations of the cricketing megafest as the Men in Blue won the ICC Cricket World Cup titles in 1983 and 2011.
In 2019, India’s journey ended against New Zealand in the semi-final after they failed to reach the target of 240 runs crashing out of the tournament.
Like the 2019 edition, the 2023 edition of the World Cup will have 10 teams in the league stage and the top four teams will qualify for the semi-final stage of the mega event. Rohit Sharma‘s team will lock horns against Australia in their first fixture of the tournament on October 8.
Squad
Rohit Sharma ©, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami.
Strengths
Home Advantage: After twelve years, the ICC Cricket World Cup will be taking place in India once again and as hosts, the Men in Blue are seen as the favorites to win the prestigious trophy. Throughout the Indian Premier League and series against different nations, the Indian batting line-up as well as bowling order has performed exceptionally on home grounds.
In addition to the home advantage, the Men in Blue are also in brilliant form as they recently defeated Australia in a three-match ODI series and also won the Asia Cup over the likes of Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The tournament will take place in ten different venues and the final will be played in the largest cricket stadium in the world, Narendra Modi Stadium, which is located in Ahmedabad.
Backups available for every position in the side: When the selected team for the ICC Cricket World Cup was announced, the Indian fans were quick to show their censure against the selectors. The Indian supporters were disappointed to not see the names of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravichandran Ashwin on the list.
However, following India’s spectacular performance in the 2023 Asia Cup, the censure and disappointment have eventually turned into support and applause. The Indian team acquires immense depth in batting with the names of Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan being in good form.
Ravichandran Ashwin has been called into the Indian team in the place of Axar Patel, who suffered multiple injuries against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup. Looking at the seamers, Rohit Sharma has four trustworthy options: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur.
Weakness
Uncertainty on the No.8 spot: In modern-day cricket, the number eight spot has become one of the most important positions. Instead of a full-time spinner, teams have started looking forward to playing an all-rounder at the position to add depth in the batting. Axar Patel was seen as the perfect player to play at No.8, however, he has been sidelined due to injuries.
Ravichandran Ashwin has been called into the World Cup squad in place of Axar Patel
As a result, either Shardul Thakur or Ravichandran Ashwin will be playing in the spot, with the right‑arm off-spinner having a greater chance. Ashwin is one of the most experienced figures in the Indian team but filling the boots of an all-rounder will be a tough task for the 37-year-old. On the other hand, Thakur has also not been in his best form lately.
Insufficiency of left-right combination in batting order: When India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Men in Blue had three reliable left-handed batters, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, and Yuvraj Singh.
The left-right batting combination is used in ODI cricket to agitate the opponent because the opposition team will have to change the field according to the batters’ playing stance. Australia and South Africa have moulded their squads according to the combination, which can turn out to be crucial in their World Cup campaign.
However, in the current team, only Ishan Kishan and Ravindra Jadeja are left-handed batters. With Kishan’s spot unsure in the playing XI and Jadeja batting at No.7, India lacks a reliable left-hand batter in the top six and this could come back to haunt the Indian side yet again if a left-arm seamer is on swansong on a certain day.
Opportunities
A perfect swansong for experienced players: Unfortunately, the 2023 Cricket World Cup will be the last dance for many players. One of the names in the long list seems to be the Indian captain, Rohit Sharma. He celebrated his 36th birthday earlier this year in April and he’s currently the second oldest player in the Indian team after Ashwin.
Sharma made his debut for the Men in Blue in 2007. However, his trophy cabinet still lacks the most prestigious Crown in cricket because he was not a part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team. Hence, the Mumbai Indians Skipper has the perfect opportunity to overcome all the odds and give the Subcontinent their third World Cup title under his captaincy.
Threats
Playing under the huge pressure of home crowd: The Men in Blue playing the World Cup in India is a bane as well as a boon for the two-time Champions. The Men in Blue are the favorites to win their third ICC Cricket World Cup title on home soil. However, the expectations can also be a reason for increased tension in the dressing room.
The Indian supporters are known as one of the most loudest fans in the world
Professional athletes acquire the required skill set to play under pressure. However, thousands of fans roaring inside a fully packed stadium can be scary to witness. In addition to that, it can also hamper the concentration of a playing individual.
With most sides playing their matches across five or six venues, India would be asked to tour nine different cities to play their nine league matches and travel could also bring in fatigue during such a long tournament.
Predicted Playing XI
Rohit Sharma ©, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj