"Home World Cup is always special" - Ravichandran Ashwin backs Team India to repeat 2011 heroics

Senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed Team India to go all the way in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup on home soil.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced its 15-member squad for the mega event on Tuesday. The squad was more or less on the expected lines, with only Prasidh Krishna and Tilak Varma left out from the Asia Cup squad.

Soon after the squad was announced, Ashwin took to Twitter to wish the boys luck. He also urged everyone to back the team.

"Go well boys! Home World Cup is always special and let’s ( all of us ) back them to bring it home. #ICCWorldCup2023," Ravichandran Ashwin wrote on Twitter.

It is worth noting that the last time the World Cup took place in India, MS Dhoni and company lifted the elusive trophy after 28 years by beating Sri Lanka in the final at the Wankhede Stadium.

The Indian fans would hope that this side repeat the heroics from 2011 and end the nation's decade-long trophy drought in ICC events. The last time the Men in Blue won an ICC trophy was way back in 2013 by beating England in the Champions Trophy final.

Meanwhile, the last three ICC ODI World Cups have seen home teams clinching the trophy. The Men in Blue will hope to keep the trend going and lift the trophy on November 19 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Team India will begin their World Cup campaign against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on October 8.

---

India's squad for the ICC ODI World Cup

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav.