Ashish Ranjan
On Tuesday, June 27, the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released the schedule for the impending ODI World Cup. Notably, India will play their first match against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, while the highly anticipated match against Pakistan will take place on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Following the release of the schedule, India captain Rohit Sharma stated that the squad is looking forward to preparing well for the mega tournament and aims to perform at their best. Notably, the Men in Blue have not won a single ICC trophy in the last decade and are therefore under significant strain to succeed this time. However, Rohit is cognizant of the strain because he believes the competition will be fierce, with all teams improving daily.
“It’s going to be an incredible experience to host the World Cup. The last time India won here was twelve years ago, so I’m certain that spectators across the nation are eager for us to take the field this time. This World Cup will be extremely competitive because the game has gotten quicker and the teams are playing more aggressively than ever. This bodes well for fans around the globe, as it promises many thrilling moments.
“We look forward to preparing well and being at our best this October-November,” Rohit said in a BCCI-issued statement.
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In the meantime, to prepare for this, India will travel to the West Indies for an entire series. ODIs, on the other hand, will be crucial for the team, as the management will be hopeful to resolve certain issues caused by the injury of key players in the recent past.
Due to the unavailability of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson is very likely to receive an opportunity in the playing XI, and his performance could very well determine India’s strategy for the mega tournament. Bowlers will also be tested in Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami’s absence.
