Ex-Pakistan Captain Wants These 'Ignored' Stars To Be In India's World Cup 2023 Plans

06.08.2023 - 05:11 sports.ndtv.com

India will be eyeing to break their long-time ICC major trophy drought when they kick off their campaign at the upcoming ODI World Cup, starting October 5.

It is worth noting that the side last won a major ICC tournament back in 2013. Since then, they have fared well in such events but a trophy has kept eluding them.

Failing to perform in the knockout stages is something that has cost India time and again. Former Pakistan batter Salman Butt has suggested that India should rely on experienced players rather than younger ones at the mega event this year.

For the opening slot, Butt suggested that Shikhar Dhawan could be the permanent batter and one between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill could open with him. "They will need Shikhar Dhawan on top.

cricket India Cricket Team West Indies Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team cup Rohit Sharma Shikhar Dhawan Ajinkya Rahane Kl Rahul Shubman Gill India Pakistan

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced a staggered sale of the tickets of the ODI World Cup 2023, that begins in Ahmedabad on October 5. India play their first match against Australia in Chennai on October 8, while they take on arch-rivals Pakistan in Ahmedabad on October 14. However, not all the matches' tickets will be available to the fans all at once. The tickets will be available for the fans to buy in a staggered manner. While the registration has already started for the tickets, it will not be available before August 25, which is the date from which tickets of non-India warm-up matches and all non-India event matches will be distributed.

India's Asia Cup 2023 Squad: BCCI Selectors Have Four Glaring Questions To Ponder Upon

After the end of the West Indies tour, Indian cricket team's next assignment will be the Ireland Tour, where the big and much-awaited return of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah will happen. Out of action since late last year, Bumrah's performance will be closely watched as, on him hinges Indian cricket team's strategy for the Asia Cup 2023 and most importantly the ODI World Cup 2023. It is not just Bumrah's return that will be closely watched, as there are many more areas which needs urgent address from the BCCI selectors, when they sit for the team selection of the Asia Cup 2023.

Watch: Rohit Sharma Visits Tirupati Balaji Temple With Family Ahead Of Asia Cup 2023

India skipper Rohit Sharma visited the Balaji temple in Tirupati with his family ahead of Asia Cup, set to kick off on August 30. A video is going viral on social media in which Rohit could be seen walking towards his car with his wife Ritika Sajdeh following him, carrying daughter Samaira in her arms. Meanwhile, the policemen could be seen clearing the way for the India captain and his family as fans in huge numbers try to get close to Rohit. The fans also took their phones out to capture the moment.

Watch: Rohit Sharma Visits Tirupati Balaji Temple With Family Ahead Of Asia Cup 2023

Indian Cricket Team "Concerned About Shubman Gill Already", World Cup Winning Star Explains Why

Shubman Gill went to the West Indies tour on the back of solid form, but he hasn't been able to fire up to his potential. In his last three matches, Gill was out for single digit scores. Barring an 85 in one of the ODIs, the 23-year-old dashing top-order batter hasn't been able to score a single other half-century in the Caribbean. Naturally, with the Asia Cup and the World Cup fast approaching, Gill's recent form is bound to increase India's headaches.

Indian Cricket Team "On Path Of Destruction...": Ex-Pakistan Star's ODI World Cup 2023 Warning

Former Pakistan pacer Sarfaraz Nawaz finds the Babar Azam-led side a more stable unit than India as the arch-rivals have not been able to "work out" their combinations going into the Asia Cup and subsequent ODI World Cup. India will go into the Asia Cup, starting August 31, without finalising their middle-order. “Pakistan has a much more settled and stable outfit for the Asia Cup and World Cup when compared to India. The Indians have still not been able to work out their final combination for these major events,” Nawaz told the media in Lahore on Friday.