ODI World Cup 2023: India’s preparation for the ODI World Cup 2023 hasn't been done yet as there are three main issues that would hurt the team’s chance and it would also prolong the wait for an ICC Trophy that the men in blue side have not won since the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy that was played in England.
In the fifty overs series against the West Indies, India gave chances to many players and rested Virat Kohli and Rohit after the first ODI. But still, India has to resolve those three concerns which we have stated below.
Now the team only has the Asia Cup 2023 in the one-day international format and the three-match ODI series against The Aussies to pick their core team for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in India.
In the last World Cup of 2019 as well, team India was searching for a batter to play in the number four position. India tried many players in that position.
Still, no player could fulfil that role. Now four years later as well the same issue has been raised.
India is still finding a player for the number four slot in their one-day international team. Tilak Varma did well in the three T20I matches he has played against The West Indies side.
But it needs to be seen if Varma can replicate that in the fifty-overs format or not. The team management can also try Virat Kohli at the number four position in the upcoming series against Australia.
Experimenting with Kohli’s batting order in an event like the Asia Cup would be too risky for India.
The men in blue side can also go with Ishan Kishan at the number four position. But the wicketkeeper batter hasn’t done well in that anchor role and he has been mostly successful as an opener only.
He has also smashed three back-to-back half-centuries in the recent ODI series against West Indies. All those fifty-plus scores came at the opening position for Ishan.
Talking about Suryakumar Yadav, he has been India’s stellar batter in the shortest format. But SKY hasn’t been successful in translating that great T20I and IPL form in the ODI format.
Even Surya has also admitted that his numbers in the fifty-overs format are not that great. With Shreyas Iyer still injured, India needs at least one of them to step up in that position, especially in the tournament like the ODI Asia Cup 2023.
With Rishabh Pant not available for selection, Team India has many options for the role of the wicketkeeper. After Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson is another keeper batter which India can look for in the upcoming series.
As told earlier, Ishan cannot bat in the middle-order position. But his numbers are good. While Sanju can be the middle-order batter which India is looking for in their ODI team for the upcoming tournaments.
However, there is a consistency issue with Samson and so the captain, coach and management will be in a dilemma in choosing a wicketkeeper batter for the team.