Men’s ODI WC: Rohit, Kohli, Shami, Rahul, Jadeja, Bumrah included in Team of the Tournament

New Delhi: India skipper Rohit Sharma, talismanic batter Virat Kohli, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, fast-bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have been included in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup team of the tournament.

Though India finished as runners-up in the tournament, after its unbeaten ten-match winning streak came to an end with a six-wicket defeat to Australia in the final at Ahmedabad, six players from the team made it to the team of the tournament, including Kohli, the leading run-scorer and Player of the Tournament, as well as leading wicket-taker Shami.

Named in the Team of the Tournament for the second straight time in a 50-over World Cup, Rohit was instrumental in setting the tone at the top of the order for India. After a duck against Australia in Chennai, Sharma was unstoppable with a blistering 131 from just 84 balls to win the Player of the Match award against Afghanistan.

He backed that by top-scoring with 86 in a vital win over fierce rivals Pakistan, and passed 40 on all but one occasion thereafter, including in the final against Australia, setting the base for India to get big totals or ace chases.

Kohli hit a staggering 765 runs at an average of 95.62, shattering the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar, who amassed 673 runs during the 2003 edition. Kohli’s best performance came in the semi-final win over New Zealand as his 117 and third tournament century, also his 50th ODI ton and surpassing Tendulkar, steered India to its first final in 12 years.

Rahul chipped with several key knocks throughout the tournament, like an unbeaten 97 in Chennai, as well as a hundred in a routine win over the Netherlands at his home ground in Bengaluru. He top scored for India in the final with 66 but it proved in vain as the hosts were denied by an inspired Australia side.

Jadeja impressed with the ball, most notably against South Africa when he became only the second Indian spinner after Yuvraj Singh to take a five-wicket haul in ODI World Cups. He made further history with two wickets against the Netherlands three days later, as he overtook Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble for the most wickets in a single World Cup by an Indian spinner.

Shami was a late addition to India’s playing eleven, but left a huge impact thereafter. He recorded the best figures of any bowler in a World Cup knockout game after his seven-for in the semi-final success over New Zealand. That performance helped Shami to the top of the wicket charts following mesmerising displays against New Zealand (5/54) and Sri Lanka (5/18).

Bumrah, just like Rohit, is included for the second World Cup running after taking 20 wickets, two more than his tally in 2019. Ever a threat with the new ball, Bumrah picked up the early wickets of Australia’s Mitchell Marsh and Steven Smith as India threatened to stage a dramatic fightback in the final.

Other players in the team of the tournament include all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who helped Australia get their sixth World Cup title on Sunday. New Zealand’s top-order batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell, as well as Sri Lanka’s left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka find places too. South Africa’s recently retired wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock is also included, while young fast-bowler Gerald Coetzee is the 12th man.

2023 Men’s ODI World Cup Team of the Tournament: Quinton de Kock (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Daryl Mitchell, KL Rahul, Glenn Maxwell, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Dilshan Madushanka, Adam Zampa and Mohammed Shami. 12th player: Gerald Coetzee

–IANS