Sanju Samson finds himself left out of the squad for the upcoming India vs Australia series, a trend that began with his exclusion from major tournaments like the Asia Cup 2023 and World Cup 2023. The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has made it clear that Samson is not part of their World Cup plans and will only serve as a backup.
The three-match series against Australia, commencing on September 22, is a critical final preparation for the Indian Cricket Team. Therefore, the selection committee is keen to maintain squad continuity, aligning it with their World Cup preparations. This also means that Tilak Varma won’t be included in the squad.
The primary focus is on fine-tuning combinations, building on their experiences from the Asia Cup 2023. However, a question mark hangs over Shreyas Iyer’s availability. While it’s anticipated he’ll recover in time for the World Cup, he won’t be fit for the IND vs AUS series. The BCCI medical team is still assessing whether his condition is a back spasm or a recurrence of his previous back injury.
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Shreyas Iyer had initially battled through intense pain to participate in the Asia Cup opener against Pakistan, but his return was brief, lasting only nine balls.
Another player missing from the IND vs AUS series is Tilak Varma. He will return home and join the Asian Games 2023 camp at the National Cricket Academy. The decision on Tilak Varma’s inclusion as a backup for World Cup 2023 will be made closer to the final squad announcement on September 27, depending on Shreyas Iyer’s fitness. If Iyer is fit and plays in the India vs Australia series, Varma will head to the Asian Games as a reserve; otherwise, he might still be in contention for the World Cup backup role.