Sunil Gavaskar, Irfan Pathan Pick India's Playing XI For World Cup-Opener Against Australia

Former India cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan have picked their preferred playing XI for India’s World Cup opener. The highly-anticipated ICC World Cup 2023 is less than a week away. The tournament is scheduled to be played from October 5.

In the tournament opener, reigning champions England will lock horns against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Three days later, Team India will launch their World Cup campaign when they take on five-time world champions Australia in Chennai.

India are one of the favorites to win the upcoming ODI World Cup. The Men in Blue are in good form at the moment and will enter the competition as the number-one ODI side in the world. Earlier this month, they won the Asia Cup and the series against Australia and would be looking to go all the way in the World Cup.

Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan pick India’s Playing XI:

With less than two weeks remaining before India opens their campaign in the World Cup, Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan have given their verdict on the playing XI for India’s opener in Chennai.

The Indian team management will have to take a number of big calls. With as many as four batsmen – Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, and Ishan Kishan – in contention for two middle-order slots, it would not be easy for the team management to pick two. The selection of a bowline lineup would not be an easy task either.

And while only time will tell who plays in the World Cup opener, Sunil Gavaskar has backed Iyer and Rahul over Kishan and Suryakumar. For the bowling department, the batting legend said that Ravichandran Ashwin could get the nod if the hosts play three spinners in the spin-friendly conditions of Chennai.

“You can pick three fast bowlers in Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah or else can pick two fast bowlers because you also have Hardik Pandya then Ashwin will definitely be there,” Sunil Gavaskar told Star Sports.

Irfan Pathan, on the other hand, said that India needs to bring in wicket-taking bowling options in a bid to counter the dew factor which will affect the matches in the World Cup. Agreeing with Sunil Gavaskar’s pick for the first seven positions, Pathan said:

“I completely agree with the top 7. But it boils down to the bowling department. I want India to play five proper bowlers. Since you have Hardik as the sixth bowler you should go with bowlers having wicket-taking abilities.

“It is because the pitches India will get now will have dew factor involved so then you need to have a solid bowling line-up. So you either pick three pacers or if you feel like you want to get someone to accompany Kuldeep Yadav and Jadeja…on a turning track, and if Ashwin is good enough the pick him,” he added.

Sunil Gavaskar’s India XI for World Cup opener against Australia: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.