Aakash Chopra, the former Indian cricketer turned commentator, has thrown his support behind fast bowler Mohammed Siraj for a place in the Indian squad for the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup. This support comes as a preference for Siraj over Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna. It’s worth mentioning that the trio of Siraj, Shardul, and Prasidh have all been named in the 17-player roster slated to participate in the forthcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, which is due to commence on August 30th.
As the ODI World Cup 2023 approaches, the former Indian cricketer, Aakash Chopra who now shares his insights as a broadcaster has expressed that it would be wise for the team management to support Siraj’s inclusion in the squad. This recommendation is based on Siraj’s impressive performance statistics in Asian conditions.
“Mohammed Siraj is brilliant. He has had a short career. 43 wickets in 24 matches at an average of 20.7 and an economy rate of 4.78. They are better than both Bumrah’s and Shami’s numbers. In Asia, his average becomes 16.57 and economy rate is 4.51,” Akash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Once the Asia Cup finishes, the final lineup for the World Cup depends on a few uncertainties, mainly about the pace trio’s presence and potential changes. The Asia Cup takes on added significance as it offers an opportunity for these fast bowlers to cement their positions in the World Cup squad, effectively utilizing the competition as a rehearsal to shine on the ICC stage.
“His (Siraj’s) numbers in Asia are better than his numbers outside Asia. So, people who were talking about whether Shardul Thakur or Prasidh Krishna can be played instead of Siraj, you cannot play anyone. You will have to play Siraj only. You should play him,” Aakash Chopra further added.
Switching gears to the national squad, the players selected for the Asia Cup are currently involved in a five-day training camp in Alur, Karnataka, focused on sharpening their talents. The national team’s first match is against their traditional rivals, Pakistan, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on September 2.
The team management aims to develop a good core group for the upcoming ICC event due to grace Indian venues from October 5 onwards. Moreover, another opportunity offers itself for the management to establish the team’s makeup during the ODI series against Australia, planned shortly after the completion of the Asia Cup 2023.
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