The Board of Control for Cricket in India has unveiled the Indian squad for the forthcoming three-match ODI series against Australia. In an exciting development, experienced off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is set to make his ODI comeback after a hiatus of 20 months, which comes just ahead of the World Cup. Ajit Agarkar, the Chief Selector of BCCI, had nothing but commendation for Kuldeep Yadav, recognizing his outstanding performance during the Asia Cup.
Kuldeep Yadav, who was named the Player of the Tournament in the Asia Cup, has been granted a break for the initial two matches. This brilliant left-arm spinner managed to grab an incredible nine wickets across four innings throughout the continental event, with a stunning average of 11.44 and an economy rate of 3.61. Expressing his joy at Kuldeep’s miraculous comeback to the Indian team, head selector Ajit Agarkar complimented him as a critical asset for India as they gear up for the World Cup.
“I have spent a couple of years along with in the IPL, he is a guy with special skill set and he is showing that on the field right now. He is one of India’s trump card right now. Clearly, most teams are finding him as a challenge at this moment,” said Agarkar in the press conference.
Starting in 2022, Kuldeep has secured the position of India’s second-highest wicket-taker. During this period, he has taken 43 wickets in 23 innings, maintaining an impressive average of 18.93 and an economy rate of 4.70. He’s achieved this feat with three instances of capturing four wickets in an inning and one remarkable five-wicket haul. Kuldeep’s resurgence in the team is quite remarkable, especially considering the challenging phase he went through in 2020 and 2021.
In the meantime, besides Kuldeep Yadav, India’s skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Hardik Pandya are taking a rest for the first two ODIs slated for September 22 and 24 against Australia. To fill Rohit’s shoes in the opening spot, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been named in the team. All four players will be back in action for the third ODI of the series, planned for September 27 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. This encounter will be India’s penultimate international fight before the much-awaited World Cup 2023 gets underway. The Men in Blue will debut their campaign in the blockbuster event against Australia on October 8 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
