Rahul Dravid, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, has revealed that the team management has shortlisted around 17-18 players for India's 2023 World Cup squad. Dravid further stated that the ongoing Australia series is being used as a platform to test different combinations, given the limited opportunities the team will have to play in home conditions before the tournament due to the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 2023 World Cup is scheduled to take place in India in October and November this year.
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With just a month before the tournament, all teams will have to name a 15-man squad. India has won the World Cup twice in its history, in 1983 and 2011. In the 2019 edition, India was knocked out in the semi-finals by New Zealand, and England eventually went on to win the competition.
"Probably not going to get too many more games in our conditions. We had the opportunity to play in these conditions which is great. Yeah, coming out of the IPL to a large extent we are pretty clear about the kind of squad and the players we want. We have narrowed it down to 17-18 players," said Dravid in a pre-match press conference ahead of the Chennai ODI against Australia.
"We have some guys who are recovering from injuries and will come into the frame based on their recovery. All in all, we are pretty much in good space. We are able to give those who we have zeroed in on as many playing opportunities. There are a couple of different combinations that we would like to try. It is a big tournament, a long tournament in India, we want to have that flexibility in our squad. some times four fast bowlers, sometimes three spinners. Within the squad we will like to keep the options. just to ensure that we have covered all our bases for all conditions," he added.
The announcement by Dravid indicates that the Indian team management is already in the process of finalizing its World Cup squad, and the Australia series is being used to fine-tune the team's preparations. It remains to be seen which 15 players will make the final cut, but with the team management already shortlisting a considerable number of players, the Indian cricket fans can expect an exciting and competitive World Cup squad representing the Men in Blue.