India’s dream run in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 came to a heartbreaking end as they suffered a defeat against Australia in the final. Despite a stellar performance in all 10 matches leading up to the pinnacle showdown, the men in blue found themselves grappling with the disappointment of falling short in the ultimate game. The brilliance they displayed throughout the tournament couldn’t quite translate into victory when it mattered most.
Despite facing a setback, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) promptly revealed the national squad for the upcoming 5-match T20 series against Australia at home, set to kick off in November 2023. Suryakumar Yadav, a key player from the World Cup 2023 squad, not only retained his spot but also secured the captaincy for the T20 series. Unfortunately, Hardik Pandya, who has previously led India in T20s, is still on the road to recovery from the injury sustained during the World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh.
Suryakumar Yadav brings valuable leadership experience to the table, having led both the Mumbai team at the domestic level and the India Under-23 team in the Emerging Cup a few years back. The world’s top-ranked T20I batter had previously donned the vice-captain’s hat during the West Indies tour.
Inclusion in the upcoming series has been extended to Prasidh Krishna, a member of the World Cup squad. However, Hardik Pandya, recovering from an ankle injury sustained during the marquee event, will be given the necessary time for additional recovery and won’t be part of the series.
The rest of the squad sees a significant shake-up, welcoming players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shivam Dubey, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, and Mukesh Kumar.
The decision to rest the World Cup stars underscores the strategic vision of the BCCI, aiming to prepare a refreshed and focused team for upcoming challenges, notably the T20 World Cup in June 2024. Suryakumar Yadav’s appointment as captain adds an exciting layer, allowing him to lead a revamped side and guide India towards redemption.
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The national team selectors, who gathered in Ahmedabad, initially pondered over appointing Shreyas Iyer as the captain. However, they had a change of heart, expressing concerns about the workload the middle-order batsman carried, starting from the Asia Cup. Despite this, Iyer will still be part of the team as the vice-captain for the final two matches in Raipur and Bengaluru.
In a move to alleviate the intense workload on India’s head coach Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman has been brought in as a coach. This decision comes after Dravid’s dedicated focus on the World Cup for the past three months. Although officially the World Cup marks the end of Dravid’s tenure, he is yet to contemplate and share his future plans.
India’s squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shivam Dubey, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar
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