Matthew Hayden picks India’s 15-member squad for ODI World Cup, leaves out Kuldeep, Chahal

Mathew Hayden and Kuldeep Yadav. (Photo Source: Visionhaus, Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

Cricket enthusiasts are waiting with bated breath in anticipation of a special edition of the ODI World Cup which is going to be exclusively hosted by India for the very first time. The 10-team tournament begins with defending champions England taking on New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 5.

Teams are busy getting in their last-minute preparations ahead of the marquee event. Fans and experts are giving their takes on how teams should line up for the tournament. In the same light, Australian legend Matthew Hayden shared his views on how India’s 15-member squad should look as they hope to win the World Cup for the third time. The two-time World Cup winner, Hayden, predicted India’s squad for the upcoming edition of the showpiece event and interestingly, he left out wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav.

While Chahal failed to make the cut for the squad for the Asia Cup which precedes the World Cup, Kuldeep was picked after he had an impressive three-match ODI series in the Caribbean. In Hayden’s predicted squad for the World Cup, both wrist spinners were left out. All-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel were the only spinners picked.

Hayden kept three wicketkeepers in the squad – Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and KL Rahul.  Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Suryakumar Yadav were selected as specialist batters. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur were the pacers picked in the 15-man squad. ODI vice-captain Hardik Pandya was named as the seam-bowling all-rounder.

The ‘Men in Blue’ will begin their World Cup campaign on October 8 when they take on five-time champions Australia in Chennai.

Matthew Hayden’s picks for India’s 15-member squad for World Cup 2023 – Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel.