Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to India's 2023 World Cup squad ft. Sunil Gavaskar
India's 15-member squad for the 2023 World Cup was announced on Tuesday without too much fuss, drama or debate. It was a big change compared to all such announcements for big tournaments and bilaterals in the last few years.
There were a few talking points though - Suryakumar Yadav's selection despite his poor form, Sanju Samson's snub despite not doing much wrong in limited chances in ODIs, two left-arm spinners in the team in Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel and the perennial question of who'll bat at No.4.
Since the announcement, former cricketers and pundits have given their opinions on some of these issues. Here are the top five reactions:
#1 "Fight between Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul for the No. 4" - Sunil Gavaskar
KL Rahul's selection to the team despite not playing any competitive cricket since the 2023 IPL has been a big talking point.
However, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels that he has got a "bit of leeway" because he's a proven performer and has scored runs in the middle-order.
However, he also said that, now, after Ishan Kishan's returns in the recent Asia Cup encounter against Pakistan, would mean that Rahul might have to compete with Shreyas Iyer for just one spot in the team.
"It could be a fight between Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul for the No. 4 position while Ishan Kishan, with the kind of form he has shown, stays in the team, Gavaskar told India Today. "He could stay in the team as a batter and Rahul can keep wickets."
Gavaskar also added that Rahul, who is expected to return for the Super-Four stage of the Asia Cup, will have to prove his fitness in the remaining matches of the tournament and the four-ODI series against Australia ahead of the World Cup.
#2 "Shreyas Iyer's place should also be questioned" - Piyush Chawla
Former Indian leg-spinner Piyush Chawla also questioned Shreyas' position in the team. When asked about the ongoing debate on who should be India's wicketkeeper between Rahul and Kishan, he said he'd want to have both in the team because of the former's record and the latter's left-handedness.
"We are talking about both of them, why not Shreyas Iyer? Shreyas Iyer's place should also be questioned. Ishan cannot remain in the reserves now because of the way he has batted in the top order," Chawla said on Star Sports.
Rahul has scored 742 at No.5 in ODIs (18 matches) at an average of 53, while he has accumulated 241 runs at No.4 (seven matches) at 40.17.
#2 "Do you actually pick bowlers on the basis of their batting?" - Aakash Chopra
Axar's inclusion clearly came at the cost of leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Rohit Sharma's comments at the press conference about the need of batting depth at No. 8 and 9 indicated the same. Chahal doesn't offer much with the bat and hasn't been at his best in ODIs either.
Former India opener-turned-pundit played down the need for batting depth and said that the leg-spinner should have been selected instead for variety in the team.
"I feel there was a toss-up between Axar Patel and Yuzi Chahal. I understand you need batting at No. 8, if you have it it's fine, but what do you do if you don't have it? Do you actually pick bowlers on the basis of their batting?" Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
"You can get depth by either having a batter at No. 8, or your top six plus Jadeja are in good form and they take responsibility and make sure that you don't miss a No. 8 batter. I will go with the latter," he added.
Chopra said India would have had the option of playing Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav together and the former would have been a good backup for the latter due to possible poor form or unavailability.
#4 "I think there should have been some changes" - Danish Kaneria
Former Pakistan international Danish Kaneria, meanwhile, said he still has his "doubts" about India's bowling and top-order batting after their matches against Nepal and Pakistan so far in the Asia Cup.
"Rohit Sharma has shown confidence in this team, which is why there weren't any big changes to India's World Cup squad," he said on his YouTube channel. "However, I still have my doubts. I think there should have been some changes."
"India haven't been playing exciting cricket," Kaneria added.
He said India now desperately need Rohit, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli to stand up against Pakistan's new-ball attack in their next Asia Cup 2023 encounter.
#5 Suryakumar Yadav was lucky to be in India's World Cup squad: Tom Moody
Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody felt that Suryakumar was "lucky" to get into India's team ahead of Tilak Varma. The youngster hasn't played ODIs yet but gives another left-handed option in the middle-order and is also an all-rounder.
"He is lucky to be in that squad purely because of the case that mounts against him for someone like Tilak Varma who gives you that left-hand batting specialist in the middle order who can bowl part-time spin," Moody told ESPNcricinfo.
In the same interaction, former international batter Sanjay Manjrekar opined that Suryakumar's T20 returns made him too exciting an option to resist for the World Cup.