NEW DELHI: There were no real surprises as the MSK Prasad-headed selection committee maintained continuity while announcing the 15-member squad that would don India colours for the upcoming ICC World Cup in England, with the only topic of discussion being the second wicketkeeper.
Veteran Dinesh Karthik got the nod ahead of 21-year-old Rishabh Pant for that slot.
“The second wicketkeeper comes into play only if Mahi (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) is injured. We went ahead with Karthik because of his experience in big matches,” Prasad said while announcing the squad here.
The side, led by Virat kohli, comprises five specialist batsmen, two wicketkeepers, three fast bowlers, three all-rounders and two specialist spinners.
Tamil Nadu all-rounder Vijay Shankar made it for his “three-dimensional” qualities.
Squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Vijay Shankar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Dinesh karthik, Ravindra Jadeja.