ODI World Cup 2023: India's strongest predicted playing XI for the tournament

The Indian team will be eager to play the ICC World Cup 2023 at home. The tournament begins on October 5 and the final will be held on November 19. A total of 48 matches will be played across 10 venues in India. India (IND) will begin their World Cup campaign against Australia at the M Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on October 8 while their big-ticket match against Pakistan will be played on October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Indian team had to make one forced change in their 15-member World Cup 2023 squad as Axar Patel has been replaced by Ravichandran Ashwin in the final squad submitted on September 28. Notably, Axar suffered a left quad injury during the Asia Cup 2023 and will take some time to recover. Here is India's Strongest Predicted Playing XI for the ODI World Cup 2023: 1. Rohit Sharma (C) Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) India captain Rohit Sharma will open the innings for India. He has been impressive at the top since taking over captaincy from Virat Kohli. Though he has averaged less and scored fewer centuries since then, his strike rate has improved as he has focused on playing aggressive cricket. He had a terrific Asia Cup tournament with three half-centuries to his name. Even in the last ODI against Australia, he gave India a flying start with 80 runs in 57 balls. He is also just three sixes short of breaking Chris Gayle’s record for most maximums (553) in international cricket. 2. Shubman Gill Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) Shubman Gill is having a dream run in ODIs in 2023. The Punjab batter started by hitting a century against Sri Lanka and then two against New Zealand. This included a double ton as well. After this, he has tons against Bangladesh and most recently against Australia at home. Overall, Gill has made 1230 runs in 20 ODIs in 2023 at an average of 72.35 and a strike rate of 105.03. Such sort of form makes Gill a dangerous prospect against any team. He is also comfortable against both pace and spin and has shown the ability to bat through the innings. 3. Virat Kohli Virat Kohli has been in prime form since he hit his maiden T20I century in 2022. In 16 ODIs in 2023, Kohli has 612 runs with three centuries and two fifties to his name. He has scored his runs at a strike rate of 112.91 and averages 55.63. Not only this, but Kohli is also nearing an all-time ODI record as he has 47 centuries in the format and needs just two more to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 tons. With nine matches in the World Cup for India, one can expect Kohli to break the significant record. Also Check: Virat Kohli International Centuries 4. Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer (Photo Source: Twitter) Shreyas Iyer returned to Asia Cup 2023 after recovering from a long-standing back issue. He batted for a short whole against Pakistan in the group stage but suffered a back spasm later and was ruled out of the remaining tournament. But the resilient batter made a grand comeback in the Australia ODIs, scoring his third ODI century in the format, in Indore. Iyer is important for the Indian team as he is a terrific player of spin in the middle overs. He can also hit big shots against pacers when the need arises and adds balance to the batting order 5. KL Rahul (WK) KL Rahul. (Photo Source: SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images) KL Rahul made his return to the Indian team in style, hammering a century against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. He had undergone surgery for a hip flexor injury and recovered at the NCA as he missed plenty of cricket. He was called into the Indian XI at the last minute due to Iyer’s injury against Pakistan in the Super Four stage. Since then, he has done extremely well for India, keeping wickets as well ahead of Ishan Kishan. Rahul has been the preferred wicketkeeper-batter for the Indian team in ODIs before his injury break. And now he has resumed his role in the Indian team. He will be crucial in the middle order along with Iyer, especially against spinners. Check Here: Most Runs in ODI World Cup 2023 6. Suryakumar Yadav Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo Source: SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images) The 33-year-old has mastered the art of batting in T20Is, however his ODI journey still needs to take the same course as that of T20Is. In 3 matches, Suryakumar has 63 runs in the ODI World Cup so far. Hardik Pandya's injury however has lent Suryakuamar another chance to showcase his abilities in the tournament. Suryakumar would be looking to give India better finishes as the tournament moves into the knockout stages. 7. Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo Source: Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images) Ravindra Jadeja has been the best spin all-rounder for India. His ability to bowl his overs quickly in the middle provides Rohit Sharma with an option to rush the opposition batters and Jadeja is also able to pick wickets with his stump-to-stump line. His batting is at his best the moment, but Jadeja is capable of some devastation down the order. He along with Pandya will be tasked with finishing the Indian innings with a bang. In 186 ODIs, Jadeja has picked 204 wickets at an economy of 4.92 while he also has 2636 runs at an average of 32.14 to his name. 8. Mohammed Shami Mohammed Shami. (Photo Source: Twitter) Mohammad Shami is the leading pacer in the Indian team and was at his best during the Australia ODI series. He has done well in the ODIs lately. The 33-year-old pacer has 171 wickets in 94 ODIs with a best of 5/51 at an economy of 5.57. Of late, he has not gotten many chances in the Indian team as the management has preferred two pacers, two spinners, and a pace or spin all-rounder to lengthen the batting. However, Shami has been a proven performer for the team over the years and was the leading wicket-taker against Australia in the recent ODI series. 9. Kuldeep Yadav Kuldeep Yadav (Photo Source: FAROOQ NAEEM/AFP via Getty Images) Kuldeep Yadav will be the main weapon for India in the World Cup 2023. The left-arm wrist spinner made a grand comeback last year after spending an extended period out of action due to injury and poor form. The left-arm spinner has 152 wickets in 90 ODIs with a best of 6/25 and an economy of 5.13. He was the Player of the Series in the Asia Cup where he picked a fifer against Pakistan and a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka. Kuldeep will be lethal on grounds like Chennai, Lucknow, Delhi and any track which assists spinners. 10. Jasprit Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images) Jasprit Bumrah returned to ODIs in July 2022 in the Asia Cup 2023 tournament and was back to being his best. He gives India a huge option to pick wickets at the top and has the best yorker in the business for the death overs. India can also opt to open the bowling with Hardik Pandya and either Mohammed Shami or Mohammed Siraj and have more overs of Bumrah saved for the death overs. Bumrah boasts of a terrific record with 129 wickets in 78 ODIs at an economy of 4.67. He can swing the ball both ways and can trouble the batters with his unique action. He will certainly prove lethal in Dharamshala, Kolkata, Mumbai, where the pitches are hard and pacer-friendly. Check: Most Wickets in Cricket World Cup 2023 11. Mohammed Siraj Mohammed-Siraj. (Photo by Surjeet Yadav/Getty Images) Mohammed Siraj enters the ICC World Cup 2023 as the No.1 ranked ODI bowler and it has been a great last couple of years for the Hyderabad pacer. He is coming off a record six-wicket haul in the final of the Asia Cup 2023 tournament. He became the first bowler from India to take four wickets in an over during that match. Siraj has 54 wickets in 30 ODIs at an economy of 4.87. The right-arm pacer swings the ball both ways and also uses the bouncer effectively. He gets a bit expensive in the death overs but is a workhorse, who can bowl 5-6 overs on a trot without dropping his pacer. Check Here: Cricket World Cup 2023 Points Table

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ODI World Cup 2023: India's strongest predicted playing XI for the tournament

Here is India's strongest predicted playing XI for the ODI World Cup 2023.

9. Kuldeep Yadav

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