BCCI announced the Team India squad for the 2019 World Cup that begins in England and Wales on 30 May. Dinesh Karthik was picked up as the second wicket-keeper in the team in place of Rishabh Pant and selectors backed Vijay Shankar to play the role of much-debated No 4 position. At the press conference, chief of selectors MSK Prasad said that the panel has covered all bases and has selected a balanced side for the show piece event in England. "We've covered all the bases, and this is one of the most balanced sides we have produced. We had discussed Khaleel and Saini, and they will be around. We've been planning. Let me frankly tell that in the last month or so, there were a couple of places which cropped up. We do have reserves," said MSK Prasad in the press conference. Here is the Team India squad for World Cup India’s squad for the ICC #CWC19 announced: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MSD (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Shami — BCCI (@BCCI) April 15, 2019 Balanced team? What do you say? Jadeja and Vijay Shankar both make the cut as I thought. Overall, very balanced side. Must feel for Pant though. Lost out marginally. But also lesson for him to improve his wk skills https://t.co/7Hqz0XSMLe — Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 15, 2019 Wrong to drop Rayudu? Ambati Rayudu must be shattered though. His place was deemed certain and he had even quit 4 day cricket to focus on this. But form is such a cruel mistress. The harder he tried the more he seemed to struggle. My heart goes out to him. — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 15, 2019 DK is flying to England The chatter around the World Cup for a while was that Dinesh Karthik's place was safe but you never know till the team is announced. Either way, it was going to be hard on one keeper. The rest of the team is predictable. — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 15, 2019 Unlucky Pant? Feel Rishabh Pant should have been included. #CWC19 — Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) April 15, 2019 More reactions on Rayudu, who was India's No 4 not a long time back not so long back Rayudu virtually had the endorsement of virat kohli, no less, to be India's number 4 at the world cup..in sport, there can be no guarantees.. — Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) April 15, 2019 More noise on Pant's exclusion as well Wasn’t Pant elevated to the top tier of the Central Contracts a few weeks back?? Not a certainty in two of the three formats. — Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 15, 2019 Some say that this is the best squad ever<doc-sep>Virat Kohli will lead India at this summer’s Cricket World Cup (Picture: Getty) India have announced their provisional squad for the 2019 World Cup, with IPL star Rishabh Pant overlooked. Virat Kohli will attempt to lead India to a third World Cup triumph this summer, with the country also prevailing in 1983 and 2011. India reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup four years ago before losing to eventual winners Australia. Kohli’s side are currently second in the ICC rankings, behind hosts and pre-tournament favourites England. India World Cup squad Virat Kohli (capt. ), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami Pant, 21, broke into India’s team last year and has shown immense potential in all three formats. The wicketkeeper-batsman is currently playing for Delhi Capitals at the 2019 Indian Premier League. Explaining Pant’s omission, chief of selectors MSK Prasad said Dinesh Karthik’s ability with the gloves played a part, while confirming Karthik was only picked as back-up to MS Dhoni. Batsman Vijay Shankar has been picked ahead of Ambati Rayudu and Prasad added: ‘After the Champions Trophy we have tried quite a few middle-order batsmen. ‘We did give a few more chances to Rayudu but Vijay Shankar gives three dimesnions. ‘He can bat, if the conditions are overcast he can bowl, plus he is a fielder. We are looking at Vijay Shankar as a No. 4. Now we have plenty of options for that slot.’<doc-sep>The Indian national selection committee on Monday, 15 April, announced the 15-man squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Ambati Rayudu was omitted from the squad while Vijay Shankar has found a place. Shankar may play at No 4 for India in the showpiece event. Selectors also opted for Ravindra Jadeja instead of going with a fourth pacer while Dinesh Karthik was picked over Rishabh Pant as the second choice wicket-keeper. KL Rahul also got a place in the Indian squad. The 2019 squad will be the oldest overall — at an average of 29.5 years of age — to represent India in a World Cup. The Mohammed Azharuddin-led 1992 squad was the youngest overall with an average age of 25.4 years.<doc-sep>
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the 15-man India squad for the ICC World Cup 2019, to be played in England and Wales from May 30 till July 14. Virat Kohli will lead the squad while Rohit Sharma has been named his deputy. There are no major changes in the final fifteen announced by the selectors. However, the inclusion of Dinesh Karthik over Rishabh Pant can be considered as a surprise to some extent. The announcement had been awaited with great anticipation, especially since it was announced about a week ago, with most of the conjecture surrounding who would be India’s crucial No. 4 batsman. India’s final 15 were announced by the Chairman of Selectors MSK Prasad on Monday afternoon in Mumbai. Experienced Dinesh Karthik pipped young Rishabh Pant in the fight for the second wicket-keeper’s slot. “The second wicketkeeper comes into play only if Mahi (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) is injured. We went ahead with Karthik because of his experience in big matches,” Prasad was quoted as saying while he announced the squad. The Indian side comprises of five specialist batsmen, two wicket-keepers, three fast bowlers, three all-rounders, and two specialist spinners. Tamil Nadu all-rounder Vijay Shankar made it into the final 15 because of his “three-dimensional” qualities. India’s 15-man squad for the 2019 World Cup: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami.