3 changes India can make for their Asia Cup 2023 game against Bangladesh
India's Asia Cup 2023 campaign has been extremely fruitful. With an unbeaten run in the tournament so far, the Men in Blue have secured their place in the final, where they will face co-hosts Sri Lanka. Rohit Sharma and company faced a few challenges on their way to the summit clash but came out all trumps.
India's journey to the final began with a frustrating game against arch-rivals Pakistan, marred by rain. In the next game, India beat minnows Nepal by 10 wickets to qualify for the Super Fours.
In the Super Fours, India once again met Pakistan, this time thrashed them by 228 runs. Then against Sri Lanka, they were given a scare but managed to come out of it unscathed, winning by 41 runs.
India will now look to lift the trophy on Sunday but before that, they will face Bangladesh on Friday. As they have already qualified for the final, the Men in Blue might look to rest some players to manage the workload before the ICC ODI World Cup.
Here, we look at three changes that India can make for their Asia Cup 2023 game against Bangladesh.
#1 Suryakumar Yadav in for Virat Kohli
With the game not having any stakes, India could look to rest senior batter Virat Kohli. If India are to go the distance in the World Cup, Kohli will have to play a massive role so, it would be a good idea to keep him fresh.
Had Kohli been out of form, playing him would have been a better option but that is not the case. He smashed an unbeaten century against Pakistan in a Super Fours encounter and looked in top-notch form.
India may look to give an opportunity to Suryakumar Yadav who is also a part of the World Cup squad. While he has been a dominant force in T20Is, he hasn't translated that success to ODIs, which makes it invaluable for him to have game time.
There could be a situation wherein Suryakumar is required in the World Cup and so, having a good score under his belt will do his confidence a world of good.
#2 Mohammed Shami in for Mohammed Siraj
Recent selections have proved that at the moment, Mohammed Siraj is higher in the pecking order than Mohammed Shami. Siraj's brilliant performances and India's inclination towards including a bowling all-rounder have kept experienced Shami on the bench.
However, Shami is a crucial member of the side and could be required to fill in for someone in case of injury or form. Thus, he should have some games behind him.
Despite having enormous experience at the highest level, there could be some rustiness, which should ideally be shaken off against Bangladesh.
#3 Prasidh Krishna in for Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah is arguably the most important member of the Indian Cricket Team at the moment. He recently came back into the side following a long layoff due to injury, which makes it important for the management to look after his workload. It would make no sense to play him in an inconsequential game and the Men in Blue should give game time to Prasidh Krishna.
Krishna is not part of the World Cup squad but in case of any injuries, he could get into the side. He too recently returned from injury and has had very few games under his belt, that too in the shortest format. The game today will help him adjust to the longer format and gain some confidence.