This is perhaps why it's entirely possible the selectors could look at naming a bigger pool for the Asia Cup that begins on August 30, before narrowing down on their World Cup squad, which needs to be named by September 5.
A straightforward top seven in an ideal world
Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli pick themselves in the top three. Iyer and Rahul slot in at four and five, followed by Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja to complete the top seven.
In such a scenario, the only consideration for the selectors will be to identify back-ups in the batting department. But because there are still question marks over Iyer and Rahul, this isn't as straightforward as it should be. If Rahul doesn't recover from his thigh injury, Kishan will likely come in as the frontline wicketkeeper. If Iyer isn't yet fit after rehabilitation from back surgery, the selectors will need to identify a middle-order back-up.
A three-horse race in the middle order
Until recently, Suryakumar and Sanju Samson seemed to be jostling for the middle order back-up spot. But now there's a third candidate in Tilak, however left-field, because both Suryakumar and Samson haven't been able to nail down their spots in the 50-overs format.
In 26 ODIs, Suryakumar has scored 511 runs and averages only 24.33. Earlier this week, he made a scathing self-assessment of his performances in the format. "If I am honest with myself, my numbers in ODIs are really bad," he said. "And there's no shame in admitting that; everyone knows that already.
"You need to be honest with yourself; but then, getting better is also important. That is what Rohit [Sharma] and Rahul [Dravid] sir have told me, that because I don't play a lot of ODIs, I need to practice and think as to what I can do. I can take my time, and if I happen to be at the crease in the last 10-15 overs, then I need to think for myself as to what I can do for the team."
Who should the selectors pick, if Rahul and Iyer aren't fit?
2.4K votesSuryakumar Yadav
Sanju Samson
Tilak Varma
Then there's Samson. An enigma in white-ball cricket, someone who can play breathtaking strokes from the get-go but has often been riddled with inconsistency. In the two ODIs against West Indies, he made 9 and 51. The half-century was a stunning innings that sustained the tempo set by the openers, but his dismissal left a sense that he'd thrown it away when he needed to capitalise. In the two T20I knocks after that, he made scores of 12 and 7.
This brings us to Tilak, who packs a punch. He brings in the left-handedness India lack in their top five without Rishabh Pant. He also carries with him runs, albeit in the T20I format. He's uncapped in ODIs, but wise heads in Indian cricket are excited by the potential he has in the format.
Yet, for all the excitement, this race will be a non-starter if both Iyer and Rahul are available. This is because Kishan can double up as back-up keeper and reserve opener.
Siraj, Bumrah, Shami and who?
In the bowling department, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah are certainties. Mohammed Shami is the frontrunner to be the third seamer, and there have been enough signs lately to attest to that. His workloads have been carefully managed in the run-up to the World Cup to ensure India aren't shortchanged if Bumrah or Siraj pull up.
It's a role he performed prior to his injury, and his ODI record (25 wickets in 14 ODIs at 23.92) underlines that. Then there's Mukesh Kumar, who made debuts in all formats on the tour of the Caribbean, who has an outside chance along with Jaydev Unadkat, who made his ODI comeback after more than a decade in the West Indies, and brings in the left-arm angle.
The No. 8 dilemma
Kuldeep Yadav's consistency in the West Indies ODIs may have made him the No. 1 spinner for now, with Jadeja being the second option. This then leaves open the door for two slots, which could be contested between Shardul Thakur, Prasidh, Axar Patel, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Who should India's fourth seamer be?
2.0K votesShardul Thakur
Prasidh Krishna
Jaydev Unadkat
Mukesh Kumar
Essentially, this call will depend on whether the selectors want to take a punt on one of Suryakumar or Tilak for the reserve batter's slot or pick an extra specialist bowler in Prasidh or Chahal, which throws open the slim possibility of India reuniting the wristspin twins - Kul-Cha - in a crunch game based on conditions.
The missing offspinner
The only other glaring miss is a genuine frontline offspinner. Among those who can potentially be looked at, R Ashwin played the last of his 113 ODIs in January 2022, while Washington Sundar is on the comeback trail, having missed a lot of top-flight cricket over the past year due to multiple injuries. He featured in the Deodhar and Duleep Trophy without much success but will line up for an India comeback at the Asian Games in China.
Whichever way the selectors go, there will be deliberations aplenty, with the Asia Cup squad giving an inkling of the make-up of the World Cup squad. After the Asia Cup, India play three ODIs at home against Australia prior to the World Cup. Teams have until September 27, the day of the last India-Australia ODI, to make changes to their initial World Cup 15.
Expected Asia Cup squad (assuming everyone available): Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav/Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel/Yuzvendra Chahal/Prasidh Krishna.
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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