India's 5 World Cup 2023 hopefuls who are failing to impress in IPL 2023
The league stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season is nearing its conclusion, with multiple changes in the points table position as teams jostle for playoffs qualification.
Currently, the defending champions Gujarat Titans are clinging to the top spot with six wins in nine games, with the teams placed second to seventh position gridlocked with five wins.
The league has often been the biggest platform for players to stake a claim for white-ball selection to the national team. Several players have also tried to rediscover their form in the lucrative league to win back their places in the national side.
A World Cup year further amplifies the scrutiny of a player's performance in the IPL, the potential core of the World Cup Squad, and also on the fringe players that are knocking on the door with their impressive showing.
This season has accentuated the progress of potential prospects for the Indian team, with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, and Aayush Badoni impressing with their batting.
However, on the flip side, it has also opened up cracks to the core Indian side for the World Cup. Several established players and those in the reckoning going through a lean patch this season.
The ICC Cricket World Cup is set to be played in India from October 5 to November 19. With the showpiece event just a few months away, let's look at the five hopefuls for India in the 2023 World Cup that are having a torrid time in the IPL.
#1 Rohit Sharma
Indian Skipper Rohit Sharma's poor run of form thus far in the IPL for the Mumbai Indians (MI) is a cause for concern heading into the World Cup. The 36-year-old has looked a shell of himself, scoring just 184 runs in nine matches at an average of 20.44.
One of Team India's keys to World Cup glory as a captain and a player, Rohit has had a good season in ODIs in 2023 with an average of 46.37 at a strike rate of 108.47. His overall ODI numbers are among the best in the game as he has scored 9,825 runs at an average of 48.63 at a strike rate of 90.63.
The elegant right-hander endured a poor T20 World Cup last year. The team will hope that their captain can get back to his usual dominant self heading into the showpiece event in October.
#2 KL Rahul
KL Rahul is one of the most scrutinized players in the Indian team due to his inability to increase the batting tempo and his tentative style of batting under pressure. He will be India's key batter in the middle order and potentially don wicket-keeping gloves given the potential absence of regular keeper Rishabh Pant due to injury.
However, Rahul's form in the ongoing IPL has been up and down and less than inspiring as he has averaged 34 at a low strike rate of 113.22. While the average is down from his overall IPL numbers, the bigger worry has been his poor strike rate, which has hurt LSG's chances in several matches.
Rahul had similar issues at the T20 World Cup last year, with a strike rate of 120.75 in six matches. India can derive solace from Rahul's good ODI form in 2023, with an average of 56.50.
Rahul also suffered a thigh injury in LSG's encounter against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) while sprinting towards the boundary. Team India will hope the 31-year-old returns in time for the ODI World Cup to shore up the crucial middle order slot at No. 5.
#3 Shardul Thakur
One of India's best partnership breakers, Shardul Thakur, has been in miserable bowling form for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL. In the six matches he has played, Thakur has picked up just two wickets and conceded runs at an alarming economy rate of 11.58 runs per over.
With a dearth of fast bowling all-rounders in the country, Team India had high hopes of Thakur being the man for the job. While Shardul's ball-striking form has been impressive, with a strike rate of 183.64 this season, his bowling has lots to be desired.
Thakur has been in decent form in ODIs for India in 2023, with six wickets in four matches despite a high economy rate of 6.42. However, his dismal IPL form has opened up question marks again on whether Thakur will be the man for the fast-bowling all-rounder role at the upcoming World Cup.
#4 Washington Sundar
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar has had a dry patch, picking up only three wickets in the ongoing IPL. Out of seven matches, the off-spinner went wicketless in six, averaging 48.67 with an economy rate of 8.26.
Sundar had a terrific 2022 season for India in ODIs with 13 wickets in 11 matches at an excellent average of 20.30 and an economy rate of 4.40. However, his form has dipped since the start of the year, with just two wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 6.62.
With the 23-year-old being devoid of many wickets in 2023 for India and in the IPL, the Indian team has a lack of off-spin and all-rounder options for the upcoming World Cup.
To further dampen Sundar's chances of rediscovering his bowling form, he picked up a hamstring injury that has ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
#5 Umran Malik
Umran Malik's bowling speed and ability to pick up wickets in the middle overs saw the youngster fast-tracked to the national side last year. The 23-year-old did not disappoint as he picked up 13 wickets in eight matches since making his debut in ODIs.
With the World Cup to be played in India, the selectors sought an out-and-out fast bowler to pick up wickets at different stages in the innings.
However, after a great start to his career, picking up 22 wickets in last year's IPL, Umran has struggled so far this season. In seven matches, he has picked up just five wickets at an astonishingly high economy rate of 10.35 runs per over.