I have been a student of cricket ever since I learned to play the game at a very early age. I also played the game up to a level to pick up the nuances of the game on the playing field. As the ODI World Cup 2023 is to be played in India I have ventured in this article to pick a team that arguably is the best to win the cup for India. The choice is from the Indian cricketers who played in IPL 2023. [I must state at the outset that I have assumed that neither Jasprit Bumrah nor Rishabh Pant is available for selection.]
Captain?
GT had a much stronger team on paper compared to CSK. Yet, in the first semi-final and the final, CSK with an inferior set of players on paper beat GT. The difference was made by none other than Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the CSK captain. He was the most composed captain throughout the tournament. Besides, he continues to be the best wicketkeeper in the world. Dhoni stumped Shubman Gill off Jadeja in 0.1 seconds. His technique is unmatched. His hands start moving towards the ball anticipating the flight of the ball. Dhoni catches the ball on top of the stumps when the batsman misses leaving no time for the batsman to return within the crease. Dhoni’s judgment of when to seek a review of a decision is also excellent. In a format where the fortunes turn on a dime, Dhoni is the best choice for captaincy.
Vice-Captain?
Hardik Pandya has led GT well. Based on the IPL record of GT in the two seasons one may be tempted to promote him to the captaincy of the Indian team. I would be of that view but for the fact that he was leading a very strong team comprising superb players who were in excellent form. He must therefore wait his turn for India’s captaincy. Hardik was a pale shadow of the explosive batsman he used to be. However, he bowled very well and is an excellent fielder. He deserves the vice-captaincy.
Opening Pair?
I would choose Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal as the opening pair. What I liked about both was that despite the freedom to play all kinds of (non-cricketing) shots they gathered their runs at a punishing rate playing great cricket shots. Both displayed excellent timing and great placement of shots. They displayed excellent temperament and played their shots with time to spare even against the fastest of deliveries. Both are also excellent players of fast and spin bowling.
Number 3?
This position must be reserved for Suryakumar Yadav. The sheer audacity and innovativeness of his shot-making reminded me of Vivian Richards who could play five different shots for every ball. On his day, Yadav can destroy the best bowling combination with ease.
Number 4?
I think RCB failed to make the cut as Virat Kohli was sent in as an opener. Kohli is an excellent opening batsman, but his expertise is in excelling when there are no field restrictions through the sheer brilliance of his shots. At number 4 he will be the batsman who will control and direct the game to rebuild the innings. His vast experience as a batsman and as a past captain would be invaluable to the team. Needless to add, he is also a superb fielder in any position.
The Fast Bowlers?
I would choose Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma. Shami reminds me of the English fast bowler Brian Statham. He is fast and accurate, can swing the ball both ways and can bowl both Yorkers as well as rising balls with great effect. On his day, he can win a game by himself. Mohit Sharma is a deceptive bowler with one of the best slow balls among the fast bowlers today. Time and again during the IPL he demonstrated his value to the team.
The Spinners?
The spin department should be led by the irrepressible Ravindra Jadeja. Why am I including him in the spinners? Isn’t he an excellent batsman? Isn’t he an amazing fielder? Yes, he is perhaps the most complete Indian cricketer today. He reminds me of the great West Indian cricketer Garfield (Garry) Sobers. Jadeja’s biggest asset is his never-say-die attitude and willingness to give one hundred percent to the task at hand. He is a must for the Indian team. The other spinners I would choose are Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. The two are proven campaigners who can take punishment and get back at the batsman using variations in flight and spin.
The Team
My team in the batting order will be as follows:
1. Shubman Gill
2. Yashasvi Jaiswal
3. Suryakumar Yadav
4. Virat Kohli
5. Hardik Pandya
6. Ravindra Jadeja
7. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
8. Ravichandran Ashwin
9. Mohammed Shami
10. Mohit Sharma
11. Yuzvendra Chahal
In tight batting situations in the second half of an innings, Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni would carry the burden of managing the course of the match as leaders of the team. Leading up to the World Cup both should pay special attention to their batting with input from coaches and experts to minimize the glitches that have crept into their batting.
The Rest
My choice of four players for the list of 15 will be Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, and Varun Chakravarthy.
The team is to be finalized by October 10, 2023. Some changes may have to be made depending on the fitness of players. I would therefore add 5 more names to the list. The names are Harshit Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Ravi Bishnoi, Tilak Varma, Arshdeep Singh, and Deepak Chahar.
I know that I am leaving out many players who have performed well and have shown class as well as form. Unfortunately, the number of slots to be filled is only 20!
The Shorter Formats
In the shorter formats, the outcome of any match is quite unpredictable. The strongest team on paper may be done in by the weakest team through a few overs being bowled brilliantly, a few lusty hits to the fence, one missed catch, or one missed stumping or run out. This being the case, in addition to class what is essential is the temperament to deliver under pressure as per the requirement of the situation. The commitment to fitness and the eagerness to give one hundred percent on the field is also essential.
So, the above is my team for India for the ODI World Cup which I think has the best chance of winning the championship. If your choice is different argue your case amicably! After all, it is only a game!
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