BCCI Finalises Team India's 2023 World Cup Squad, Sanju Samson Excluded: Report

The BCCI's selection committee has reportedly finalised their 15-member 2023 World Cup squad on late Saturday night. KL Rahul, who hasn't played professional cricket since May, has sneaked into the squad, while Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and Prasidh Krishna could not find a spot. Nevertheless, the BCCI is yet to make a formal announcement.

According to media reports, the selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar flew to Sri Lanka, where met with the Indian captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid to pick the 15-player squad. The high-profile meeting happened after the India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 clash was washed out following the first innings due to persistent showers and wet outfield.

Sanju Samson, who was inconsistent in the recent West Indies tour, didn't find a place. Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna, both of who were picked in the Asia Cup 2023 squad, missed out as well. However, Suryakumar Yadav has retained his spot and Ishan Kishan also sneaked in, mainly after his heroics against Pakistan on Saturday in Kandy.

Medical team gives KL Rahul a green signal:

With the selection committee discussing KL Rahul's fitness, the medical team has reportedly cleared him for inclusion. The Karnataka-born cricketer had reportedly batted for several hours in the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and will fly to Sri Lanka to partake in the Asia Cup.

While the BCCI wanted to keep their selection meet on September 4th, they decided not to wait any further, especially with Rahul receiving the much-needed clearance. The selectors have also chosen three all-rounders in Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. The pace-bowling department consist of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj, while Kuldeep Yadav is the lone frontline spinner.