10 fast bowlers who are in contention for India's 2023 ODI World Cup squad

With the 2023 ODI World Cup in sight, teams have started preparing hard and well and similarly team India is also trying desperately to find the right balance ahead of the global event. During this period, the Men in Blue will lock horns with Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Australia among others on their home soil to prepare well. As the World Cup will be hosted by India this time around, the Indian team will also face the challenge to repeat its glorifying performance of 2011. In recent times, the Indian team has faced a lot of criticism due to its poor performance with the ball in big matches. For the upcoming World Cup, there will be a responsibility on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to revamp the bowling attack by inducting some adept pacers into the Indian team. Ahead of the mega event, the Indian team will play a lot of ODI games and it will be a perfect opportunity for selectors to figure out the right fast bowling combination leading into the much-anticipated event. Below are 10 fast bowlers who are in contention to be a part of India's 2023 ODI World Cup squad: 10. Prasidh Krishna Prasidh Krishna came into the limelight in 2021 by picking up a four-wicket haul in Pune against England on his ODI debut. With figures of 4/54, he became the bowler with the best figures on ODI debut for India. After the end of the ODI series against England, he again got a chance to play an ODI game against South Africa in January 2022, and this time, on the fast track of Newlands, Cape Town, he again delivered an impressive show with the ball by picking up three wickets. In the home series against the West Indies in February 2022, Krishna did wonders with the ball by delivering the best bowling performance of his career (4/12) to haunt the West Indies in the second ODI as India won the game by 44 runs. In his international career so far, with 25 wickets in 14 matches, Krishna has grabbed the chances that have come his way. In the 2023 World Cup, with his outstanding seam bowling, he could be a key bowler for India. His ability to trouble batters with the new ball is something very impressive. In the next few months, selectors and the team management would like to give him more chances to play ODIs and prove his mettle in the bilateral series against quality outfits like Australia and New Zealand. 9. Shivam Mavi Many were surprised to see Shivam Mavi getting picked for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. He hadn't performed to the expectations in the last couple of seasons in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he got a whopping amount of INR 6 crore in the auction for the 2023 season. Mavi also made his international debut in the first T20I against Sri Lanka. He impressed with his variations as well picking up four wickets on debut. He returned with the magical figures of 4/22 and clearly has shown that he has potential to succeed at the highest level. His performance must have surely impressed the selectors and a couple more decent outings will surely put him in the list of possible pacers who can make it to the ODI World Cup next year. 8. Shardul Thakur Shardul Thakur is actively playing ODIs for India for more than two years and has produced some match-winning spells with his bowling. Playing in the third ODI against the mighty Aussies at the Manuka Oval in Canberra in 2020, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands by displaying his aggressive bowling attitude to win the match for India with his 3/51 spell. Earlier in 2018 also, Thakur was at his best with the ball as he snared four wickets against South Africa at the Supersport Park, Centurion. Till now, he has notched up 44 wickets in 31 games at an economy rate of 6.20, and in the next few months, all eyes will be on him to see how he fares in the forthcoming series leading into the World Cup. Shardul, with his knack of claiming wickets at regular intervals has established his image as a partnership breaker. Using tactical variations, he is also known to outmanoeuvre batters. 7. Umran Malik Umran Malik gained fame by delivering amazing performances with his fast bowling in the Indian Premier League, and now, he is looking to create an impact in international cricket too by doing well for India. In the IPL, Umran with his capability to bowl consistently over 145 km/h has impressed many cricketing legends and fans of the sport. Umran's non-selection for the T20 World Cup down under squad baffled a lot of people but on the subsequent New Zealand tour, he made his ODI debut by playing the first ODI against the Black Caps at Eden Park in Auckland. He looked sharp in New Zealand and also on the placid tracks of Bangladesh in the ODI series where he rushed opposition batters with his searing pace. Batters were seen ducking for cover as he steamed in and dictated terms. 6. Mohammed Siraj Mohammed Siraj made his ODI debut in 2019. Since then, he has played only 16 games and picked up 24 wickets at a magnificent economy rate of 4.84. Along with speedsters Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, Siraj could do wonders for the team by chipping in with his effective seam bowling. In Test matches, he has impressed many, and now, in the ODI format too, he is striving to outclass batters with his bowling skills. In the 2022 ODI series against the West Indies at home, Siraj opened the bowling for the team in the absence of Bumrah and Shami and did well by providing early breakthroughs. Going through his capability to outwit batters with both inswingers and outswingers, it can be said that he could perform well in the upcoming bilateral competitions and join India's World Cup squad. 5. Deepak Chahar Deepak Chahar, who made his ODI debut in the 2018 Asia Cup, has only played 13 ODI matches. In these matches, he has been able to snare 16 wickets at an economy rate of 5.75. As compared to Shami and Bumrah, Chahar doesn’t clock over 140 km/h consistently but under favourable conditions, he can be very effective as a swing bowler. Based on his bowling displays in the last few ODI games, it can be said that the 30-year-old has worked on his variations and has also sharpened his skills. To build a strong team for the 2023 World Cup, the team management can look at Deepak as a potential option. The fact that he is more than a handy batter also makes his case stronger for the global tournament. But he needs to work on his fitness as he is highly injury prone and it is something that might work against him. 4. Arshdeep Singh Arshdeep Singh has become an integral part of the Indian T20I team after delivering impactful performances with the ball in the last few months. In the absence of Bumrah during the T20 World Cup 2022, the youngster was at his best and helped India win important games with his diligent bowling efforts. During powerplays and death overs, he dominated batters which impressed a lot of experts. Impressed with his performance in the shortest form of the game, selectors gave him a chance in ODIs also by selecting him for the New Zealand tour. Although the left-arm seamer is yet to bag an ODI wicket, he will get plenty of opportunities in the comings days to make a case for himself ahead of the ODI World Cup. India have been constantly looking for a gun left-arm seamer and the way Arshdeep has done recently in the shortest format of the game, he could be the one to end the wait. 3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been serving India for more than a decade but seemed to have lost his sheen in the ODI circuit. But when it comes to the World Cup squad, he can’t be ignored as Bhuvneshwar has a wealth of experience and can still add plenty of value. Having played 121 ODI games, he has bagged 141 wickets at an economy of 5.08. Till the 2019 World Cup, he was one of the key players for the team in ODIs because of his knack of delivering crucial breakthroughs in the powerplay with the new ball. But post-2019 World Cup, he has looked completely ineffective as his speed has gone down, average speed has declined and he has not been able to make the new ball talk as much as he used to. Ahead of the World Cup, many Indian fans are expecting him to make a comeback to the team by rejigging himself. The weight of his experience and skills is likely to make the selectors and the team management think of including him in the World Cup team if he does well in the games ahead of the marquee event. 2. Mohammed Shami Mohammed Shami is one of the most influential bowling figures in the Indian cricket team due to his vast experience and incredible bowling skills. His ability to seam the ball makes him difficult for batters to play. With 152 wickets in 82 matches at an economy rate of 5.60, he is one of the most experienced pacers available right now.. In World Cups, Shami has fetched 31 wickets in 11 games at an economy rate of 5.07. During the 2019 World Cup, he was the second-highest wicket-taker for the team with 14 wickets in only four games at an outstanding economy of 5.48. In the past, while pairing with Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar, he has done an excellent job, and will be gunning to repeat the same if he gets an opportunity to feature in the World Cup. 1. Jasprit Bumrah Jasprit Bumrah is considered the best bowler in the world by a wide number of cricket experts and fans. Presently, his presence in the Indian team matters a lot to win big matches. Recently, in the T20 World Cup 2022, the team missed his services as he couldn’t participate in the event due to a back injury. After looking at India’s poor show without him during the T20 World Cup it became evident how significant he is for India. Looking at his praiseworthy record in ODIs, the team will expect him to lead the bowling attack again and deliver some stunning performances in the upcoming World Cup at home. This year, by scalping six wickets against England in the first ODI at the Kennington Oval, he again showed why he is considered the best in the world. If he plays in the World Cup, it would be interesting to see how he takes advantage of the home situation.

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10 fast bowlers who are in contention for India's 2023 ODI World Cup squad

Ahead of the 2023 World Cup, India will look forward to revamping their bowling line-up by getting some names who could deliver fine results with their fast bowling.

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