‘Cup squad place not guaranteed’
SYDNEY: Vice-captain Rohit Sharma Thursday said India’s World Cup squad is more or less settled but nobody should take his place for granted as poor form could lead to omissions.
Rohit said there could be one or two changes in the squad, which will take on Australia and New Zealand in upcoming ODI series, depending on poor form and injury. “The squad that plays these 13 ODIS is more or less the same squad that will go to the World Cup. There will be one or two changes, keeping in mind the form and injury concerns over the next few months,” Rohit said ahead of India’s first ODI here on Saturday.
“We played a lot of cricket throughout the year, so injuries are bound to happen. And there will be some concerns about form and fitness. I don’t see there will be any drastic changes to the squad,” he added.
Talking about the slots in the playing eleven, he said, “...more or less, the slots are pretty much taken by individuals But having said that, I feel everything will depend on the form of each player. Nobody is guaranteed that flight to England as yet.
“I would not say every individual that is going to be part of the next few series would be playing the World Cup. You have got to perform. But there won’t be drastic changes,” he said. The World Cup starts on May 30 in England.
India last played ODIS in Australia in 2016, and lost the series 4-1. Their top-order comprising Rohit, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli had excelled back then too, but the middle order did not support them enough.
Rohit was confident that those shortcomings have been overcome. “It’s not about one or two individuals, it’s about 11 of us contributing, including the 7 or 8 batters that will be playing. Individuals may win one or two games but to win the championship, the batting unit needs to come together and at some stage put their hands up and say ‘I’m going to take that challenge and make the team get through the finishing line.” NEW DELHI: Bengaluru will host the first match of Australia’s limited overs tour of India with a T20 International on February 24, the BCCI said in a media release announcing the fixtures on Thursday.
Australia are set to tour India for a limited-overs series involving two T20IS and five ODIS. The second T20I will be played in Visakhapatnam on February 27, followed by five ODIS.
The first ODI will be held in Hyderabad (March 2), followed by matches in Nagpur (March 5), Ranchi (March 8), Mohali (March 10) and New Delhi (March 13).
Both T20IS will be night matches starting at 7pm, and all five ODIS will be day-night affairs, starting at 1:30 pm, according to a BCCI release.
For Australia, this tour is set to be their last international assignment before the World Cup which starts on May 30 in England.
For India, this series could be followed by a home assignment against Zimbabwe though that is looking highly unlikely now after the BCCI announced the IPL would be held in India from March 23.
India are currently touring Australia where the last leg, involving three one-dayers, will begin Friday. India travel to New Zealand from Australia for another limited-overs series.