Cricket World Cup 2023: R Ashwin replaces injured Axar Patel as India makes late squad change

Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been named as Axar Patel's replacement. Axar sustained a left quadriceps strain during India’s Asia Cup Super Four encounter against Bangladesh. The spin-bowling all-rounder missed the final of the Asia Cup as a result.

Hyderabad: India have made a late change to their 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 after Axar Patel failed to recover in time for the World Cup.

Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been named as his replacement. Axar sustained a left quadriceps strain during India’s Asia Cup Super Four encounter against Bangladesh. The spin-bowling all-rounder missed the final of the Asia Cup as a result.

Ashwin was impressive on his return to ODI cricket in the recently concluded series against Australia where he picked up four wickets in two games. Axar was named conditionally in the squad for the final ODI against Australia subject to his fitness but missed the game which India lost by 66 runs in Rajkot.

India have banked on the experience of Ashwin to fill the void left by Axar. Additionally, Ashwin brings in an off-spinning option that was previously missing in India's World Cup squad, which could prove to be crucial in the 46-day-long tournament when pitches begin to deteriorate.

The 37-year-old also has the familiarity of playing on the big stage, having featured in the 2011 and 2015 editions of the World Cup for India. In the tournament Down Under, Aswhin scalped 13 wickets in eight matches in India's run into the semi-final.

Here is India's updated World Cup squad

Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.