Team India's preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 have started but not at full speed. The management has been hamstrung by injuries to first-choice players like Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah. While Rahul underwent surgery on his thigh after sustaining a hamstring injury during the IPL, Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer too went under the knife after their back injury aggravated. Iyer has been out since the Ahmedabad Test in March, Bumrah, on the other hand, hasn't played competitive cricket since September last year.
In their absence, the team management has been trying several players, who could be in contention for a spot in the World Cup squad but none has really grabbed the opportunity so far and the result is 1-1 with India losing the second ODI against the West Indies after being all out for 181. While these three are likely to make a comeback before the World Cup, Rishabh Pant who met with an accident in December last year is unlikely to make a comeback in 2023.
Seeing India's performance in recent times, legendary Indian captain Kapil Dev was frustrated with the continued absence of some of the stars while launching a scathing attack on players saying that they ignore a niggle or a little injury for IPL but they won't play for India in the same situation.
“What happened to Bumrah? He started working with so much belief, but if he's not there (in World Cup semi-final/final)... we wasted time on him. Rishabh Pant... such a great cricketer. Had he been there, our Test cricket would've been better.
“God is kind, it's not as if I never got injured. But today, they are playing 10 months in a year. Give a benefit of doubt to that, but everybody has to look after themselves. IPL is a great thing but IPL can spoil you also. Because a little bit of injuries and you will play in IPL. A little bit of injuries, you won't play for India. You would take a break. I'm being very open about it,” Kapil told The Week Magazine.
The legendary all-rounder said that with all the resources with them and urged the BCCI to have a little more control over scheduling. If you have a small injury, you would play in IPL if it's an important game. At this stage, cricket board has to understand how much cricket they should play. That is the bottomline. If today, you have resources, money, but you don't have three or five-year calendars. There's something wrong with cricket board there,” Kapil further added.
