Axar likely to play only if India need a third spinner

India's ODI World Cup squad, announced by chief selector Ajit Agarkar and skipper Rohit Sharma in a media interaction on Tuesday, was along expected lines given that only the 18 players part of the extended Asia Cup squad in Sri Lanka were in the fray. Pacer Prasidh Krishna, left-hand batter Tilak Varma and wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson-a reserve for KL Rahul in Sri Lanka have understandably missed out. While Agarkar and Sharma said they are happy with the balance of the 15-member contingent, the composition of the spin attack - Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel - is likely to draw debate in the coming weeks.

- Vivek Krishnan

Especially, the presence of two left-arm orthodox spinners in Jadeja and Patel, which deprives the spin attack of variety. With leggie Yuzvendra Chahal, off-spinners R Ashwin and Washington Sundar also in contention for a place, wouldn't India have been better placed if they had one of these options also in the mix by dropping the additional left-arm orthodox spinner?

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