The Indian cricket fraternity is abuzz with the announcement of the Asia Cup 2023 squad. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar unveiled the team, flanked by captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid. While the primary focus was the Asia Cup, there’s anticipation regarding a potential 15-member provisional World Cup squad announcement.
Tilak Varma secured his place, and both Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul made the cut. The bowling department boasts of Prasidh Krishna’s inclusion, who showcased his prowess with impressive performances in Ireland. With established players like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Mukesh Kumar, the competition is fierce for fast bowling slots.
On the spin front, Ravichandran Ashwin’s absence stood out, leaving Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravi Bishnoi as leading contenders. The debate around the batting order continues, with Sanjay Manjrekar echoing Ravi Shastri’s sentiment of placing Virat Kohli at No.4, a move that could enhance India’s batting prowess.
Squad –
The finalized Asia Cup squad is a formidable one, featuring Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, with Sanju Samson as the backup option.