ICC World Cup 2019: 3 Indians who could be playing their last World Cup

ICC World Cup 2019 is less than a year away. The tournament is scheduled to happen in England and Wales next summer. 10 teams (India, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, West Indies, and Afghanistan) have qualified for the tournament and India are one of the favorites to win it.

India’s current One Day Internationals squad looks in a good shape at the moment. There is a great blend of youth and experience, and the squad is well balanced. Players like KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav are almost certain to make their World Cup debut next June.

On the other hand, quite a few Indian players are well into their 30s and playing in their third or fourth tournament. 2023 ICC World Cup is five years away and this could be the last tournament for some of the experienced Indian stars.

Without much ado, let’s take a look at the 3 Indian players who could be playing in their last World Cup.

#1 MS Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the former Indian captain, will be playing in his fourth ODI World Cup. He made his World Cup debut in 2007 under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid and captained the team in the subsequent World Cups. He was one of the most successful ODI captains in the history of the game and led India to a World Cup triumph in 2011.

Though he retired from Tests and stepped down from captaincy in all formats of the game, the 36-year-old is almost certain to don the wicketkeeping gloves in England and Wales next summer. He is also in good batting form at the moment and scoring a lot of runs.

However, this could be the last World Cup for the legendary Indian cricketer. 2023 World Cup in India is too far the former Indian captain, who will be 37 in July. Expect young keepers like Rishabh Pant or Ishan Kishan to replace Dhoni in the near future.

#2 Shikhar Dhawan

The Delhi batsman will be playing in his second World Cup in a row. Dhawan was phenomenal for India in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and finished the tournament as the fifth highest run-getter.

With 412 runs at an average of 51.50, he was India’s best batsman in the 2015 World Cup. Dhawan will be 33 in December and is expected to play a key role for India in the 2019 World Cup. He is almost certain to open the batting and holds the key against the new ball in English conditions.

The chances of Shikhar Dhawan playing the 2023 World Cup looks very slim. Fight for places in the Indian cricket team is very intense at the moment and he will be 37 by that time.

#3 Rohit Sharma

He is another cricketer who is into his 30’s at the moment. Rohit Sharma is one of the most successful players for India in the limited-overs format. The Mumbai batsman is the only player in the world to hit three double hundreds in ODI cricket.

The 31-year-old has played 180 One Day Internationals for India and scored 6594 runs at an average of 44.55. This will be his second World Cup and he is another player who is certain to be on the plane to England next summer, barring any injury.

Rohit Sharma’s experience and expertise at the top could be vital for India in the 2019 World Cup. With 330 runs, he was brilliant for India in the 2015 World Cup. However, this could be the last time we see Rohit Sharma in an ODI World Cup. Rohit will also be into his late 30’s for the 2023 World Cup and could find it hard to retain his spot in the team.