Axar Patel or Ravi Ashwin; Rahul Dravid provides crucial update on India’s World Cup selection conundrum

Ravichandran Ashwin or Axar Patel – the biggest selection call in the Indian team for the ICC World Cup 2023. The last date to make changes in the ICC World Cup squad has approached. Teams have until September 28 to make any tweaks to their initial teams before going to the ICC for its approval to make any changes. The Indian Cricket team has ticked off many boxes in the just-concluded ODI series against Australia and the Asia Cup with players standing on crucial occasions for the Men in Blue. However, with the option of making a change to the squad available, fans and experts believe the team can make a crucial change to the team.

The potential change to the spot that is being talked about is the second spin all-rounder’s spot in the team. With Ravindra Jadeja being the first-choice spin all-rounder, there seems to be a toss-up between Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin and Washington Sundar. However, head coach Rahul Dravid provided a crucial update on the Indian squad selection issues. The head coach hinted that Patel will be kept in the squad. 

“We have to wait for an official confirmation or a decision on that. The NCA is in touch with the selectors and Ajit (Agarkar) so I will not make any comments on that. If there is any change you will get to hear about it officially, as of now there are no changes,” Dravid said after India’s loss to Australia in the third ODI in Rajkot. 

The Indian team saw the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul making a return to the squad after injury breaks. Dravid is pleased with the squad and is looking forward to the warm-ups. “For all those guys game-time was important. The fact that they have been able to get that is I think something that we are much better off for it. 

“Jassi has been able to play a couple of games and bowl his quota of 10 overs, Siraj (was) suffering from a little bit of a bug but he got back and was able to bowl. (For) Ashwin, it was really nice to see the way he bowled in the first two games. KL as well, the keeping right through the 50 overs, he is coming off after almost 6-7 months. 

“Shreyas has played a couple of really good knocks in the last couple of games. We know we have to keep improving but also hope that we carry this momentum into the World Cup,” Dravid added.

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