Team India members not involved in IPL 2023 playoffs leave for England in batches ahead of WTC Final - Reports
A few Team India members have left for London for the World Test Championship (WTC) in the early hours of Tuesday, May 23. The Indian contingent reportedly is slated to leave in batches and the first group consisting of 20 members - primarily coaching staff including Rahul Dravid are already on their way to England.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, the entire squad are slated to be assembled on English shores on May 30, two days after the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) final.
Players who are not a part of the IPL 2023 playoffs will understandably be among the first names to report to England. The likes of Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur were part of the first batch that left for England on Tuesday morning.
The first batch reportedly also includes some of the net bowlers namely, Akash Deep and Pulkit Narang. Other net bowlers like Aniket Choudhary and Prithvi Raj Yarra will reach England soon to aid in the team's preparation.
Senior players like Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin are expected to be part of the batch that leaves India on Wednesday, May 24.
The report also states that the initial plan was to fly the first batch out right after the IPL league stage came to a close on Sunday, May 21. The players, however, requested some time off before departing.
"There may be departures every day till May 30. Logistics arrangements are being made for almost every day," a BCCI official told Cricbuzz.
Players involved in the IPL playoffs, which also include stand-by players Ruturaj Gaikwad and Suryakumar Yadav, will likely leave for England after their respective campaigns come to a close.
Jaydev Unadkat, on the other hand, who sustained n injury during a Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) net session, has been declared fit and is likely to leave for England on May 27.
Cheteshwar Pujara is another member who is expected to join the squad soon. The ace batter is currently in England itself, leading the Sussex outfit in the second division of the County Championship.
Team India to play an intra-squad fixture in London before the WTC Final
The rigidness of the schedule gives no room for a potential warm-up contest against a county side, which leaves an intra-squad match as the only avenue for potential red-ball practice ahead of the crunch fixture.
India and Australia will lock horns in the final of the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) from June 7 onwards at The Oval in London.
Who will win the WTC Final between the two heavyweights? Let us know what you think.