10 in-form players from World Cup 2019 who might not play in 2023 edition

The 2019 edition of the World Cup is all set to get underway and the teams have been finalised. The provisional squads were announced a month ago before a few teams decided to tweak their sides before the final deadline. It’s a dream of almost every player to take part in the World Cup. Moreover, every player that has been picked wants to go into the tournament in the best form possible. There are a few players who have been consistent performers in the 50-over format over the last few years. Amongst them are a few players might be playing their last World Cup and will not feature in the mega-event in 2023 that will take place in India. Hence, with cricket’s biggest white-ball spectacle is just over a week away, let’s look at 10 players who are in great form going into this World Cup and may not hang around until the tournament in 2023. 1. Faf du Plessis (South Africa) Faf du Plessis of South Africa. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) The 2019 World Cup may be the last one for quite a few South African players, including skipper Faf du Plessis. The 34-year-old has hinted that he might retire after the T20 World Cup next year. He revealed that the mega T20 tournament in Australia might be his last ICC event. However, in the lead up to this World Cup, he is not only one of South Africa’s key batsmen, he is also one of their in-form players. Apart from Quinton de Kock, no other South African player has scored more runs than Du Plessis this year in ODI cricket. The South African skipper averages 71.16 while amassing 427 runs in nine innings this year. He had an excellent time in the IPL as well as he was one of the main contributors for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with the bat. Faf du Plessis is the pillar of South Africa’s batting line-up and is going to be crucial for their fortunes in this World Cup. 2. MS Dhoni (India) MS Dhoni. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images) MS Dhoni is one of the greatest captains to have led the Indian cricket team. He is only one of the two Indian captains who has lifted the World Cup title. His captaincy record is one of the best in the history of the game. Dhoni is currently a vital cog in the Indian team. The former Indian skipper had a lean 2018 but has returned to form with the turn of the year. He won the Man of the Series award in Australia for his consistent performances. Dhoni has continued to hit the ball well and has looked in decent flow. He was CSK’s highest run-getter in this IPL as well. However, this is most likely going to be his last World Cup and is tipped to bow out of international cricket as soon as this showpiece event in England concludes. 3. Usman Khawaja (Australia) Usman Khawaja. (Photo by Mike Owen/Getty Images) Usman Khawaja has been constantly in and out of the Australian limited-overs squads. Inconsistency has been the biggest factor. However, this year, he has turned it around really well. He’s striking the ball well and has looked in very good touch over the few months. In the absence of the two stalwarts, Steve Smith and David Warner, Khawaja has relished the opportunity. He’s batted at the top of the order and has scored consistently. He is this year’s highest run-getter as he has put together 769 runs at an average of 59.15. This is Khawaja’s maiden World Cup and may turn out to be his last as well. The left-handed Pakistan-born batsman is already 32 and may not feature in the 2023 edition of the World Cup. 4. Ross Taylor (New Zealand) Ross Taylor. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) After Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, if there is someone who has been supremely consistent in ODI cricket in the last few years, it has to be Ross Taylor. Batting at No. 4, Taylor has been New Zealand’s best ODI batsman in the recent past. He has accumulated 1232 runs at an average of 82.13 since the start of 2018. These include three hundreds and eight half-centuries from 21 innings. He is one of the few who has scored runs consistently despite not batting in the top three. In fact, he’s the only non-top-three batsman in the top 10 run-getters since 2018. Though there’s nothing official from Taylor, this certainly seems like his last World Cup. He will be 39 by the time the next one comes across and he may not be around that time. 5. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) Shakib al Hasan. (Photo Source: Twitter) Shakib Al Hasan is one of those few players who can walk into the team both as a pure batsman or even a pure bowler. He can bowl 10 overs and also provide runs with the bat at the top of the order. Hence, his all-round ability makes him absolutely vital for Bangladesh. However, the left-handed all-rounder has been dealing with quite a few injury issues. But he seems to be fit for the World Cup and is going into the tournament with some decent form. He was a part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL. However, he didn’t get to play a lot. Shakib returned from the IPL and represented Bangladesh in the tri-series involving Ireland and Windies. He performed well there as he scored 140 runs in three innings (remained unbeaten in two innings). However, the premier Bangladesh all-rounder may not be around the 2023 World Cup, given his injuries and with age falling on the wrong side of 30. 6. Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) Mohammad Nabi. (Photo Source: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images) Mohammad Nabi is another all-rounder who is brilliant with both bat and ball and can make an impact with either. The 34-year-old off-spinning all-rounder has played a huge part in Afghanistan’s rise and has been through the thick and thin of everything that his team has seen. Nabi has been one of the most consistent performers for Afghanistan over the last few years. In the recent past, he was in good form in the IPL while playing for SRH. He did well with the ball and showed glimpses of his ability with the bat. Nabi will be taking part in his second World Cup which may well be his last as well. He’s already played international cricket for over a decade and is going to be on the wrong side of 30s by the time the next World Cup comes along. 7. Andre Russell (Windies) Andre Russell. (Photo Source: Twitter) Andre Russell has played all of one ODI since the 2015 World Cup. That game came last year against Bangladesh at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. He hasn’t been regular in the T20I side as well playing just 12 games in the last four years. One of the major reasons for his absence was the one-year ban he received after failing a certain drug test. However, the big-hitting West Indian all-rounder has been actively taking part in T20 leagues around the world. Moreover, Russell has been in some blazing form as well. He has been smashing bowlers consistently as he showed in the IPL. Hence, he is going to be crucial for West Indies in this upcoming World Cup. However, he is injury-prone and hence, this may be his second and last World Cup. We may not see him in India in 2023. 8. Mitchell Starc (Australia) Mitchell Starc. (Photo by Michael Dodge – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images) In 2015 edition, Mitchell Starc was the player of the tournament. He bowled fabulously in that tournament as he drove Australia to their fifth World Cup title. He was effective with the new ball and was deadly at the death. However, in the last couple of years, he has played a lot of white-ball cricket. Injuries and prioritizing Test cricket has played a huge role in that. Despite not featuring in a lot of ODI games over the last two years, Starc will be Australia’s enforcer with the ball once again in this World Cup. However, this might also be his last appearance at the quadrennial event. The left-arm pacer has had a lot of injury issues and with Test cricket being a priority and an exciting crop of fast bowlers coming through, Starc may not feature in the 2023 edition. 9. David Warner (Australia) David Warner. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images) The former Australian vice-captain was one of the better limited-overs batsmen before he got banned last year. However, he has shown that he hasn’t missed a beat. He had a stunning IPL where he finished with 692 runs at an average of 69.20. He struck eight half-centuries and one century in the 12 innings he batted. Hence, there is absolutely no doubt that the left-handed opener will play a big role in Australia’s title defence. He was a vital cog in the 2015 edition as well. However, at 32, Warner might be featuring in his last World Cup. He may well bid adieu to the game before the 2023 edition in India. 10. Rohit Sharma (India) Rohit Sharma. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) Alongside Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma has been one of the pillars of the Indian batting line-up in white-ball cricket. He has been extremely consistent and has been brilliant. In 2015, he was very good and he even scored a hundred in the quarterfinal against Bangladesh. This time around he will be going in as India’s vice-captain. He’s been in excellent touch in the last few years in white-ball cricket. Rohit is the second highest run-getter in ODI cricket since the end of the 2015 World Cup. He has scored 15 hundreds and averages 61.12. Hence, India’s vice-captain is going into this World Cup on the back of some excellent form. However, Rohit Sharma will be 36 years old by the time the next World Cup arrives. There have been no fitness issues as such for him but form and fitness may be an issue four years down the line. Hence, we may not see him playing the 2023 World Cup in India.

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10 in-form players from World Cup 2019 who might not play in 2023 edition

With age on the wrong side of the 30s and injury issues, these players might bid adieu to the game before 2023 World Cup.

2. MS Dhoni (India)

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