[In pictures] Indian men's cricket team travel to China for Asian Games 2023; Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra poses with few cricketers
Indian men's cricket team for Asia Cup 2023 traveled to Hangzhou, China, on Thursday, September 28. With the ODI World Cup also taking place almost simultaneously, selectors have chosen a second-string squad for the event. Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead the side.
India will directly feature in the quarter-finals, which will be played on October 3 at the Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field in Hangzhou. Men in Blue are considered favorites going into the tournament.
BCCI took to their official X handle on Thursday to announce the team's departure for the Asian Games. Head coach VVS Laxman and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad were seen in the pictures shared by BCCI.
Rinku Singh also shared a couple of pictures on his Instagram handle to give fans a glimpse of their journey to China. Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra also posed with Rinku Singh and a few other cricketers.
I would expect them to come back with the gold medal: WV Raman on India men's cricket team ahead of Asian Games 2023
Former Indian cricketer WV Raman expects the men's team to win the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The Indian women's team have already won the gold in their event, beating Sri Lanka in the final on Monday, September 25.
"It's a strong side as well because all of them have been really doing well in all formats that they've been playing - be it the IPL, domestic cricket or sporadic appearances for the main side. They've been doing really well, so it's a very strong side and quite obviously I would expect them to come back with the gold medal," he said on Sony Sports Network.
On the depth of the men's cricket team, Raman added:
"It gives us a measure of how strong the system is and gives us a measure of what kind of depth we have as far as talent is concerned in this country. It's also good that these cricketers are going to play in the Asian games and will get game time, as I said earlier. It’s because if they are not to be concurrent, who knows how many of them would've been going to play in the Asian games."
Do you think Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team will win the Gold medal at the Asian Games? Let us know in the comments section.