Team India’s Asia Cup 2023 squad: All the crucial talking points ahead of selection day
Team India's squad for Asia Cup 2023 is all set to be announced on Monday, August 21. According to reports, the squad is set to be named in New Delhi at 1:30 pm in a press conference by new chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma.
Apart from Rohit, head coach Rahul Dravid is also set to be present at the crucial selection meeting. It was recently reported that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah held a meeting with Dravid in Miami ahead of India’s last two T20Is against West Indies in Florida on August 12 and 13, respectively.
The selection meeting on Monday will also be crucial considering that the squad for the Asia Cup could also hint at the kind of combination that the Men in Blue are looking at keeping the ODI World Cup at home in mind.
There have been a number of crucial issues pertaining to India’s Asia Cup 2023 squad that have been a matter of debate in recent days. Here’s a lowdown ahead of the much-awaited squad announcement.
Focus on KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer
The selection of India’s Asia Cup 2023 squad has been delayed to allow the injured duo of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer additional time to press their case for a comeback.
Both players have featured in practice matches at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru as part of their recovery process. However, whether they finally make the cut, we will only know on Monday.
As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, Shreyas seems to have ticked most boxes in his first practice game. He fielded for 50 overs and batted for 38. On the other hand, Cricbuzz reported that Rahul is fully fit and is set to reclaim his position in the Indian team.
If both players a fit, it would be a massive relief for the team as Shreyas would occupy the crucial No. 4 slot - an area India have been clearly struggling in over the last few years.
As for Rahul, he can bat at No. 5 and keep wickets as well, allowing Team India to be more flexible with their playing XI.
Varma over SKY or Samson?
Another matter that has been debated heavily over the last few days has been whether the time has come to look beyond Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson.
There has been a clamor among some experts and fans to fast-track young Tilak Varma into the ODI squad for the Asia Cup ahead of the likes of Suryakumar or Samson.
Suryakumar has himself admitted that he has been a massive letdown in one-day cricket. He averages just 24.33 after 26 ODIs. However, the potential he possesses with the willow is no secret. Hence, it won’t be a surprise if gets picked again.
Samson’s case is quite an intriguing one, as it always has been. He has a poor T20I debut, averaging 18.55 after 23 games. However, his ODI numbers are pretty impressive - an average of 55.71 from 13 games (five not outs).
Although Samson has three fifties in 12 ODI innings, because of his abysmal T20I record, his place in the 50-over team has also come under the scanner.
As for Varma, while he has made an excellent start to his T20I career, his inexperience at the international level could be a topic of discussion with regard to giving him a spot in the Asia Cup squad. But he will remain a dark horse considering how highly he has impressed critics.
Bumrah as vice-captain and other key points of discussion
As per some reports, lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah who returned to international cricket during the ongoing T20I series in Ireland could be named as the vice-captain for the Asia Cup squad.
Bumrah was Player of the Match in his first international game since September 2022, claiming 2/24 in the first T20I against Ireland.
There could also be a toss-up between leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and left-arm spinner and all-rounder Axar Patel for one of the slots. Lack of depth in batting hurt India in West Indies, where they lost the T20I series by a 2-3 margin.
Last but not least, it remains to be seen whether India name a 15 or 17-member squad for the Asia Cup. Pakistan and Bangladesh have picked 17-member teams.
With the September 5 deadline for naming the provisional World Cup squad, Team India would be keen to have near-identical squads for the Asia Cup and the World Cup.