"You can’t have just 20 players and just rotate them" - Irfan Pathan slams reports of India choosing a small pool of players for World Cup

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes that the Men in Blue shouldn't have such a small pool of 20 players to choose from with more than nine months to go for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Reports have been circulating about the selectors and team management choosing a group of 20 players from which they will be selecting squads for the ODI series leading into the World Cup. However, Pathan feels that if other players aren't tested, some last-moment injuries may cost India dearly.

Speaking on the Star Sports show 'Road to World Cup Glory', Irfan Pathan explained the importance of India having a bigger pool of players. He said:

“The World Cup is still nine months away, you can’t have just 20 players and just rotate them and think that you’re going to find those players only above the rest. 20 can’t be enough because if something goes wrong with those 20, be it injuries or form, nine months is a long period of time. You need a bigger pool of players and this is where you’re going to find them."

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Irfan Pathan on target list of 33 players

Irfan Pathan claimed that apart from the BCCi contracted players, there is another list of 33 players who are monitored by the NCA and whose data is sent to the team management. He feels this is the right way to identify potential backups and hidden gems, rather than just depending on 20 players.

On this, he stated:

"There were 33 target list of players, apart from the contracted list that we have, so that’s a very big pool of players we are talking about, not just 20. And those 33 target list of players, they can practice anytime, they can work with the coaches.

"And they actually get old data, they send it to Rahul Dravid and work together and that’s what needs to be done. And if that has to happen consistently, this is where we are going to become world beaters, not just with 20 players.”

India’s squad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh.