3 players India will hope strike form in Asia Cup 2023 match vs Nepal ft. Shubman Gill
A spot in the Super Four of the Asia Cup 2023 is on the line for India as they face Nepal in their final Group A fixture at the Pallekele International Stadium on Monday.
The Men in Blue were given a rigorous workout with the bat against arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday before rain played spoilsport and washed out the contest at this very venue.
Rohit Sharma and company will now look to pocket their first win and secure a berth in the Super Four stage, with another washout also enough to do the job.
Nepal, on the other hand, enter this contest on the back of a 238-run drubbing at the hands of Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2023 opener and need a win themselves to qualify.
While the returns delivered by Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya against Pakistan would have pleased Team India to no end, the rest of the batting unit didn't come to the party. It is something they will look to address before the endeavors ahead that include a possible Super Four phase at the tournament as well as the ODI World Cup next month.
Ahead of their clash against Nepal, here's a look at three players who Team India will hope to find form in the contest.
#1 Shubman Gill
To say that Shubman Gill looked all at sea against Pakistan would be apt. Even a couple of rain intervals didn't help the prodigious right-handed opener to start afresh as he was found wanting against the moving ball, eventually castled for a painstaking 32-ball 10.
Gill endured a tough tour of the West Indies as well, failing to leave a mark across formats save for a half-century apiece on the best batting track in the ODI and T20 series'. It's a stark contrast to the stellar first half he enjoyed to the calendar year, where he racked up runs aplenty for fun.
It's important from India's point of view that he puts this recent lull behind him and gets back to his best. Runs on any surface against any opposition are massive for a player's confidence, and Gill returning to form against Nepal is something the Men in Blue will be dearly hoping for.
If he can do it on a pitch that has aided the bowlers so far this Asia Cup, it would be the icing on the cake.
#2 Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja's credentials as a game-changing all-rounder are well-known. Yet, it's no secret that his batting returns in white-ball cricket have left plenty to be desired in recent times. And this holds true even while accounting for his last-over heroics in the final of the IPL.
His bowling throughout the IPL was outstanding as he sent down his overs with impeccable control even on the flattest of surfaces. He has picked up five wickets in as many ODI innings so far in 2023 at an average of 34 and a strike rate of 43.2 - not bad for someone who often shares his quota of overs with Hardik Pandya.
He could not leave a mark with the bat against Pakistan and in 7 ODI innings in 2023, has tallied 127 runs at an average of 31.75 and a strike rate of 59.90. For someone who is the side's finisher, that last parameter certainly ought to be a lot higher even for a tacky pitch.
If the opportunity presents itself, Jadeja getting into the runs against Nepal will be very important from the point of view of what lies ahead in the Asia Cup, as well as the build-up to the World Cup.
#3 Mohammed Shami
With Jasprit Bumrah heading back home for the birth of his child, Mohammed Shami looks the likely candidate to walk into the playing XI for the clash against Nepal.
The jury was out over whether he ought to have started in the match against Pakistan and Shami has the opportunity to prove a point and give the think-tank a massive selection headache ahead of the games lined up.
Shami has been an outstanding ODI bowler for India but his numbers since 2020 are a little worrying - he has picked up 26 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 31.16 and an economy rate of 6.09. While Shardul Thakur tends to be expensive himself, he does have the knack of breaking partnerships in the middle overs while being a handy contributor with the bat.
Shami's numbers in 2023 alone make for better reading - 10 wickets in eight matches at an average of 30 and an economy rate of 5.66. With Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj set to be sure starters in the playing XI though, the Nepal game is perhaps the one chance that the Bengal speedster has to show that he ought to partner the duo by the time India take the field for their first World Cup game.
Which Indian player will be the one to watch out for when the team faces Nepal in Asia Cup 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!
Also read: "I always take every opportunity as a challenge" - Deepti Sharma's words a true reflection of what works for the all-rounder