The eagerly awaited announcement of India’s Asia Cup 2023 squad is anticipated to take place on Monday, August 21, as per the latest updates from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Reports suggest that Captain Rohit Sharma is set to participate in the selection meeting in New Delhi on that day. The BCCI is also hopeful about the recovery of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who have been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
The long-awaited reveal of the Asia Cup team composition has been postponed due to Iyer and Rahul’s medical evaluations. At the beginning of the week, both players were not fully fit, which raised concerns about their inclusion. However, an effective recovery period of four to five days has improved their chances of making it back into the squad. The BCCI aimed to ensure their match fitness before confirming their selection.
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In the current scenario, the selection committee led by former fast bowler Ajit Agarkar will consult with skipper Rohit before deciding whether to include Iyer and Rahul. According to reports, both players are likely to secure spots in the 15-member (or extended) squad and will travel to Sri Lanka.
Certain players such as Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Rohit are essentially assured of their places in the squad. Ishan is projected to serve as the backup wicketkeeper if the team management opts to have Rahul as the primary keeper. Shardul Thakur will also be selected as a backup for Hardik Pandya.
Sanju Samson appears to be the most probable omission if Rahul is included in the squad. Additionally, competition for places could lead to Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma being left out from the national team setup. A crucial decision for the selectors revolves around the inclusion of an extra spinner, given that India possesses three primary spinners in their lineup.
At present, all three spinners – Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel – have strong cases for inclusion. With Axar’s added value due to his batting ability and the lack of left-handed batters in the squad, he is likely to secure a place. This leaves India with the choice of either including an extra spinner or taking a risk by omitting either Kuldeep or Chahal.