It wouldn’t be wrong to say that India’s preparations for the ODI World Cup 2023 would begin with their tour of the West Indies. The Indian squad for the ODI series is picked accordingly. While the selectors want the regulars to have some runs behind them, the bowlers are selected in such a way that some new faces can get their chances to prove themselves. Regardless, the bowling unit looks strong with the likes of some good names like Mohammad Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, and others. Here are the top contenders to be India’s highest wicket-takers in the series.
The right-arm quick has been India’s best bowler across formats in the last 12 months. The bowler from Hyderabad has been in a purple patch and making the best use of it in almost every tournament he has played in the period. The 29-year-old has been taking wickets for fun in the powerplay overs. In the current calendar year, Siraj has played 8 matches and claimed 19 wickets at an incredible average of just 13.21, at an economy of 4.62, and a bowling strike rate of 17.16, including a couple of 4 wicket hauls. For bowlers with a minimum of 10 wickets, Siraj has the best bowling average in the format in 2023.
Kuldeep Yadav has returned to his self-best after going through a bad patch for some time. It all started when the chinaman bowler made a comeback against West Indies at the start of 2022. Since then, the 28-year-old has looked like a different bowler. Yadav has been very good with the ball in the middle overs, where he has claimed wickets consistently despite going for some runs. In 2023, Kuldeep played 8 matches and taken 15 wickets, at a bowling average of 21.13, an economy of 5.42, at a bowling strike rate of 23.40.
Shardul Thakur, in 2023, has done what he usually does – Pick the important wickets. The right-arm medium pacer often goes for runs but gets the crucial breakthroughs for his team when needed the most. The 31-year-old has played 4 matches in 2023 and claimed 6 wickets at a bowling average of 22.83, a bowling strike rate of 21.33, at an economy of 6.42. The Palghar-born bowler has a best bowling figure of 3/45 in the format in 2023.
Top 3 performances by Dinesh Kartik in ODI
Top 3 performances by Dinesh Karthik in Test Cricket
OTD, 1985: Dinesh Kartik, the Indian cricketer and commentator, was born today
OTD 1973 | New Zealand’s Glenn Turner became the first man since the Second World War to score 1000 first-class runs by the end of May
