India's probable 15 member squad for World Cup 2019

Who all make the cut?
Who all make the cut?

The 12th edition of the ICC World Cup is scheduled to start on 30 May 2019, and all the 10 participating teams are working hard for the mega event that will be played in England for the fifth time.

India will start as one of the key favorites to clinch the World Cup owing to their current form. Moreover, India's wrist-spinning trio of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have won many matches for India in recent past.

Though there are a lot of positives, India's never-ending search for a solid No.4 batsman still continues to haunt the team. Despite having a plethora of batsmen who can bat at No. 4 position like Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina, Kedar Jadhav, KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey and Rishabh Pant, none of the cricketers has been consistent enough to seal the spot for themselves.

With less than 7 months to go for the World Cup, the selectors might have already zeroed down on some players for the event, taking into account the performances of the players from the ongoing England tour.

Here, we take a look at the players who could make it to India's probable 15 member squad for the marquee event.


Openers - Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma

Australia v India - ICC CWC Warm Up Match
India's most trusted pair.

#1 Shikhar Dhawan

Aptly called as the "Man for Tournaments", Shikhar Dhawan hasn't put a foot wrong while playing for India in major ICC Tournaments like Champions Trophy and ICC World Cup. Dhawan's impactful batting at the 2015 World Cup played a major role in India's qualification to the semis.

He ended the 2015 World Cup as the top run-scorer for India and the fifth highest run-scorer in the tournament. He amassed 412 runs at an impressive average of 51.50 which included 2 centuries and a solitary half-century.

Dhawan's form will play a huge role in India's campaign and the team would want him to repeat his past heroics.

#2 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma has undoubtedly been one of the most consistent openers for India in the limited overs format of the game. The swashbuckling opener has combined well with fellow opener Shikar Dhawan to provide brilliant starts at the top of the order.

He will be a valuable asset for the team as he can go berserk from the very first ball owing to the placid ODI pitches in England.

Middle-Order Batsmen - Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik, KL Rahul, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav and Rishabh Pant

Enter
Dinesh Karthik and Virat Kohli

#3 Virat Kohli

There have been no words to describe Virat Kohli's consistency in the last couple of years. The Indian captain has performed flawlessly with the bat and his captaincy has been improving with every passing match. As of now, Indian cricket is in a very safe pair of hands under him.

With huge responsibilities on his shoulder, Kohli's form with the bat will play a crucial in India's World Cup campaign. He will look to guide India to their 3rd World Cup trophy.

#4 Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik was proclaimed as India's perfect batsman to fill the No.4 slot when he single-handedly won the Nidahas trophy for India. He played a quickfire cameo knock of 29 runs from just 8 balls in the finals against Bangladesh.

Despite playing a gem of a knock, he has still got very few chances to prove his worth in the limited overs squad. He has made the most of his chances and can be a worthy player for India in the tournament.

Though he is a slow-starter, he is known for his fine stroke-play. Once set, he has the ability to keep the scoreboard ticking with odd boundaries at regular intervals. He is also a technically sound batsman whose reverse sweeps are a treat to watch.

He can also double up as the backup wicket-keeper in the squad.

#5 KL Rahul

Hardik Pan
KL Rahul

KL Rahul has broken the shackles of being a 'Test batsman' with scintillating performances in IPL 2018 as an opener. The Karnataka batsman went blitzkrieg from the very first match of the tournament scoring 51 runs off just 16 balls. He also made a comeback to the Indian limited-overs set-up due to his consistent performances in the event.

With the opening slots already secured by Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul might be the perfect batsman to bat at No.4. He can act as the link between the top order and the lower order.

Indi=
Kedar Jadhav and Mahendra Singh Dhoni

#6 Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the former Indian captain is one among the many cricketers who might retire at the end of the 2019 World Cup. Dhoni has been in stellar form this season and he would look to continue it till the World Cup.

Dhoni can be the ideal batsmen at No.5 since he can bolster the team's total by playing a quick-fire cameo in no time. He can also hit sixes at will which is a major boost to the team. He would look to bid an adieu to the game with a World Cup win.

#7 Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav, India's multi-utility player has had a tough time since the start of 2018 due to injuries. However, it is a known fact that he might definitely be included in the World Cup squad because of his versatility.

He can play big match-winning performances and scalp wickets with his off-spin during the middle-overs. He can also be a handy part-time wicketkeeper. India wouldn't let go of a player with such tremendous abilities.

#8 Rishabh Pant

Rishab
Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has been waiting in the wings for a long time to make his ODI debut. He can be a very aggressive and lethal batsman which was evident in this year's IPL.

He might be the desired batsman to bat at No.6 since he has the ability to play attacking cricket at any point of time. Most cricketers batting at No.6 will need some time before they adapt to the conditions of the pitch. However, Pant can take charge from the very first ball.

All-Rounder: Hardik Pandya

#9 Hardik Pandya

England v India - 2nd ODI: Royal London One-Day Series
Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya, India's most prized possession currently has proved to be a revelation for the Indian team in past one year. His ability to hit sixes for fun coupled with all-round abilities, has made him one among the best.

He can bat at any position, can bowl consistently irrespective of the overs bowled and has excellent fielding skills. With Hardik Pandya, India's search for a reliable all-rounder has finally come to an end.

Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

The
The Spin Twins

#10 Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal, India's latest spin sensation, has grown on to become modern-day batsmen's most feared spin bowler. His googlies are tough to be interpreted by the batsmen. His ability to toss up the ball with flight has caught the attention of several cricket pundits.

As most pitches in England are spin'-friendly, Chahal's abilities will be put to good use.

#11 Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav has successfully sealed his ODI spot in the Indian team after becoming only the third Indian to take a hat-trick in ODIs. The chinaman bowler has become a nightmare for the batsmen around the world.

His googly and stock ball still continues to be a mystery for the batsmen across the world. The duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have successfully replaced the combination of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja from India's limited overs set-up.

#12 Ravichandran Ashwin

New Zealand v India
Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin can be a surprise inclusion in the squad due to his top-class performances for India in the ongoing Tests against England. With his vast experience at the international level, Ashwin could be included in the squad. He can also guide the youngsters in the team.

If the Indian selectors opt for experience, he might definitely get the nod for selection.

Fast Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami

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Backbones of Indian Bowling Department

#13 Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been one of the most consistent and economical bowlers for the Indian team. The opening bowler has the ability to swing the ball both ways. His combination of pace and swing can also prove to be very lethal.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's magnificent bowling was one of the major reasons behind India's victory in Champions Trophy 2013. He will look to replicate his past success in the tournament.

#14 Jasprit Bumrah

India's death over bowling can be deemed nothing without the presence of Jasprit Bumrah. He has been India's death overs specialist. His accurate yorkers along with the deceptive slower ones have made it hard for the batsman to attack him.

Bumrah's bowling will play a decisive role in India's campaign.

#15 Mohammed Shami

India v West Indies - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup
India v West Indies - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup

A lot of the fans thought that the selection doors were closed on Shami due to his extra-marital affairs outside cricket. However, he has not let the personal issues affect his game. Currently, he is having a good series against England.

He had 17 dismissals to his name from 7 matches in the 2015 World Cup which made him the 4th highest wicket-taker of the tournament. His current form along with the previous records might give him an edge over the erratic Umesh Yadav.

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Edited by Kumud Ranjan