India Cricket World Cup 2019 Team, Squad, Captain, Players List: India’s 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in England and Wales was announced at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Monday (April 15). Ambati Rayudu and Rishabh Pant have not been included in the squad while Dinesh Karthik, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja have found places. The team will be captained by Virat Kohli while Rohit Sharma will be his deputy. MS Dhoni is the first-choice wicketkeeper.

India’s squad for ICC World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (WK), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneswhar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami

Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad said that Karthik will be the back-up wicketkeeper and was preferred over Pant due to his superior skill behind the stumps. KL Rahul is the reserve opener and Ravindra Jadeja has been included as a third spinner. Vijay Shankar, Prasad said, provides a more “three-dimensional” option to Ambati Rayudu at the number 4 position and has thus found a place in the squad.

There are no surprises with the pace department with Jasprit Bumrah expected to lead an attack that can include all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami apart from wrist spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.

The selectors can still make changes to the squad announced today. In the one-month window of April 23-May 23, teams can make changes to the squad without being required to provide any reasoning to the ICC. After May 23, through to the end of the tournament, any changes will have to be processed by the World Cup technical committee.

The April 23 initial deadline allows ICC to get the logistics going in terms of tickets and room bookings. It also allows the teams playing warm-up matches till May 23 to cement their squads. However, India don’t have any international matches scheduled before the World Cup begins for them on June 6 against South Africa. The players will be busy with the Indian Premier League with the final scheduled on May 12.

India World Cup Warm-up matches:

vs New Zealand on May 25

vs Bangladesh on May 28

India World Cup schedule:

vs South Africa on June 5

vs Australia on June 9

vs New Zealand on June 13

vs Pakistan on June 16

vs Afghanistan on June 22

vs West Indies on June 27

vs England on June 30

vs Bangladesh on July 2

vs Sri Lanka on July 6