Veteran Indian keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik pointed out the flaw in the Indian squad for the ICC World Cup 2023. He believes that the Men in Blue lack a left-arm pacer in the team and they were clear that they don’t need Arshdeep Singh for the event. 

BCCI recently announced the Indian squad for the ICC World Cup 2023. They named four pacers in the team in Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shardul Thakur. They all possess the same ability as right-arm seam bowlers. 

India lack a left-arm seamer in the team and with Arshdeep Singh in the ranks, they didn’t pick him even. The lanky pacer played for India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 and was the team’s leading wicket-taker in that tournament. But they didn’t play him in the ODIs much. 

Dinesh Karthik said that they didn’t look at Arshdeep Singh as a wicket-taking option and pointed out that his inability to make a significant impact during the middle overs was the reason behind his snub. Speaking to Cricbuzz, he explained: 

“India were clear that Arshdeep was not going to be in the scheme of things leading up to the World Cup 2023, which gives you clarity. They did not look towards that left armer as a wicket-taking option. I think what they felt with Arshdeep was that he was lacking in the middle-overs and couldn’t have the impact that he could have with the new ball.” 

ICC World Cup 2023: Good sides across the world have one left-arm pacer – Dinesh Karthik 

Dinesh Karthik highlighted the importance of left-arm pacers in the team and explained that they make a difference. He also pointed out that all top sides have a left-arm seamer in their team. He added: 

“Will they miss a left-armer, yes. If a left armer was there of that quality and form it will always make a difference. You see all good sides across the world have one left arm pacer and it will be interesting to see how the team lines up against other teams.”

India also played Jaydev Unadkat in the ODI series against West Indies recently. The pacer bowled decently but even he wasn’t considered in the World Cup squad.

India ODI World Cup Squad 

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.