ICC World Cup 2023: KL Rahul included in India squad, Sanju Samson misses out, says report

Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee met with Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid on Saturday to discuss the team for the ODI World Cup in October-November.

As per the report by Indian Express, KL Rahul has been included while Sanju Samson has missed out. The meeting took place after India’s Asia Cup clash with Pakistan was washed out after the first innings.

KL Rahul has not joined the Indian team for the opening two fixtures of the Asia Cup as he is yet to recover fully for international cricket. A decision on his fitness and availability for the continental tournament is due to be taken on Monday before the Super Fours.

The wicketkeeper-batter has reportedly spent plenty of hours in the nets at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and has been given the green signal to join his teammates in Sri Lanka.

Agarkar had spoken about KL Rahul’s fitness when announcing the squad for the Asia Cup. He had also said the team for the World Cup will be chosen from the current lot.

“KL Rahul has picked up a niggle. It is not his original injury and that’s why Sanju (Samson) is travelling with us. We are all expecting him to be fit, if not at the start of the Asia Cup but maybe the second and third game but he is well on track,” Agarkar had said in New Delhi.

Also reportedly missing out in selection for the ODI World Cup to take place in India are Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna. Both are in Sri Lanka as part of India’s squad for the Asia Cup.

Ishan Kishan, who struck an 81-ball 82 against Pakistan, has found a place in the squad that will be led by Rohit Sharma.

India’s batting lineup will comprise Rohit, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav.

Allrounders Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur have made it to the squad with clear emphasis on batting depth for the selectors and team management.

The bowling department will be led by seamer Jasprit Bumrah and will also include Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj. Kuldeep Yadav, expectedly, is the leading choice in the spin bowling department.

Squads for the World Cup can be named by September 5 but there is an option to make changes by September 27 to account for injuries and other hiccups.