Asia Cup 2023 Team India Squad Announcement: KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer return
KL Rahul’s return to the national squad might take some more time as the senior selection committee is likely to leave him out for the Asia Cup, while Shreyas Iyer’s return also hangs in the balance. The panel headed by Ajit Agarkar will meet in Delhi on Monday to pick the squad for the continental tournament.
Rahul underwent surgery on his right thigh a few months ago, while Iyer too went under the knife for a back injury. Both players have been trying hard to return to competitive cricket but it’s learnt that the selection committee will first assess their fitness reports. It’s the main reason it has summoned National Cricket Academy (NCA) head (sports science and medicine) Nitin Patel. (Read more)
-KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer return: The addition of Sanju Samson as a back up is owing to KL Rahul having picked a niggle, as confirmed by chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Shreyas Iyer on the other hand, has been declared match fit.
-Kuldeep Yadav has been named as the only wrist spinner. While dew is suspected to play a big role, Agarkar backed Kuldeep to perform. "Dew will play a part but a good bowler is a good bowler, he (Kuldeep Yadav) will find a way. We have picked team on the basis of the best balance we have available," he said. Captain Rohit Sharma would clarified that the doors weren't close for the likes of R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar, all of whom were dropped.
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-Ishan Kishan as third-choice opener. Three consecutive fifties in the ODI series against the West Indies as an opener seemed to worked in Ishan Kishan's favor.
-Tilak Varma receives maiden ODI call-up. Finishing his first international series (a five-match T20I bilateral) as top runs scorer for India has helped his case, but that Tilak is a southpaw seems also to be a major reason in the decision making.
-Prasidh Krishna also returns to the ODI setup. Having made his debut for India in the 50-over format, Krishna also marked a return from injury on the Ireland tour alongside Bumrah and seems to have made the cut just in time.
-Still no clarity on number four. Sriram Veera explains: That question of our times! Rohit smiled before saying “We have guys who can bat at No.4. It’s not one position … There have been challenges, guys who have been put under pressure, unfortunately because of injuries, we have had to try others. We tried Axar at No.4 being a left-hander, go, bat freely.” Or in other words, they haven’t decided yet. Surprise, surprise!
Batters: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan.
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel
Bowlers: Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna
Reserve: Sanju Samson
Rohit Sharma: There are 5 days camp in Bangalore. After a long time we have had the opportunity to get all the players in for some skill-based training. We can rectify our weakness. It’s just not Pakistan; Sri Lanka won the Asia cup last time. Other good teams will challenge us. Not just one team, we have to prepare for all.
What do you mean by flexible? What will be the batting order, the Indian captain is asked.
Rohit Sharma: “I will make you understand! Flexibility is required, doesn’t mean send opener at no. 7. Or send Hardik Pandya as opener. In the last four-five years, Kohli has batted at No.3. The new guys at no. 4, no. 5 players need to be flexible. Even in my career...we all have done that. That’s the flexibility I am talking about. Not making opener down, woh pagalpanti nahi karte!"
How worried is Rohit about Bumrah (coming back from injury?)
Rohit’s reply ran thus: “I am not a workload management expert. That’s with consultation with physics, trainers. They are the best in what they do in managing players. Based on their report, we rest and rotate.
IS he worried about Bumrah? He didn’t address that.
Ajit Agarkar: "Dew will play a part but a good bowler is a good bowler, he (Kuldeep Yadav) will find a way. We have picked team on the basis of the best balance we have available."
Rohit Sharma: "We wanted someone who can bat at 8 or 9. Axar has had a good run in white ball with the bat this year. With him there, he gives us depth and then, he is a left-handed batter. We talked about Ashwin and Washi (Sundar) as well. The only way we could have picked an extra spinner was by dropping a seamer. Having said that no doors are closed for anyone. If we feel like we need Chahal, Ashwin or Washi, we’ll try to sqeeze them in."
Ajit Agarkar: 'You can’t fit in two wrist spinners and at the moment Kuldeep is ahead of Chahal.'
Three consecutive fifties in the ODI series against the West Indies as an opener seemed to worked in Ishan Kishan's favor. The southpaw has been officially named as the preferred third opener in the squad.
In light of the Asia Cup squad announcement comes the question, does India stand a chance in the upcoming white ball season?
Watch our latest episode of #HarshTag India with Nishant Shekhar, we talk about the challenges that Men in Blue are facing before the ICC World Cup 2023.
Rohit had the great answer. “Aap k pass jo hain, usi sey kaam chalana padega! (We can only do the job with those available”. He made a reference to 2011 team which had the luxury of lots of all rounders.
The gem in the reply came when he referenced himself in third person. “Rohit and Kohli will bowl!” That brought a laugh from Ajit Agarkar. The “Kaam chalaza padega” was the most practical, typically Rohit, but also a statement on the affairs in present times.
Agarkar said he will talk about KL Rahul as an allrounder. But his words were prepped up with “hope” about the fitness. “We are all hopeful that he will be okay. His role is as keeping and batting.” So, that leaves a question mark still
Rohit Sharma: "We can’t create batters who will bowl overnight. Hopefully Sharma and Kohli will roll their arms."
Ajit Agarkar: "I have convinced both of them to chip in."
Ajit Agarkar: "We are hopeful that KL (Rahul) will be okay by the time we will be playing our first match."
That question of our times! Rohit smiled before saying “We have guys who can bat at No.4. It’s not one position … There have been challenges, guys who have been put under pressure, unfortunately because of injuries, we have had to try others. We tried Axar at No.4 being a left-hander, go, bat freely.”
Or in other words, they haven’t decided yet. Surprise, surprise!
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar clears the air around WC squad, "We will announce the it after September 5."
“It’s obvious that the world cup squad will be in and around this one (Selected for Asia Cup).” Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar would say, repeating ‘obvious’ a few times. Though he did add that they have time till next month 5th to make the final call, before he reverted to the ‘obvious’ term.
Ajit Agarkar: Shreyas (Iyer) has been declared match fit. KL (Rahul) has picked up a small niggle that’s why Sanju is with us.
Ajit Agarkar: "We saw some real promise in West Indies. It will give him some exposure. We can pick 17 here in the World Cup, it would be 15."
Rohit Sharma: "I don’t believe in underdogs and favorites tags. You have to play well to win. All the teams will be here to win and play hard. Playing at home just gives you a little bit of advantage but at the same time so many overseas cricketers play in India now a days."
Rohit Sharma: "Hardik’s role is very clear (as all-rounder). He will bat, bowl his overs and field. If he keeps doing that team will have a good balance."
So, there was an initial confusion but it's been confirmed now, Shubman Gill has been added in the squad.
Apart from the 16, Sanju Samson has been kept as a reserve.
Squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.
THIS JUST IN: Both KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are back in the Indian squad ahead of the continental cup. Tilak Varma has also received a maiden ODI call up.
Tilak Varma has impressed everyone in his debut series against West Indies. The youngster looked technically sound and showed the temperament required for the international stage. Both former Indian coach Ravi Shastri and the selector Sandeep Patil concurred that they would have the 20-year-old in their team for both Asia Cup and World Cup.
“100 per cent [if India should hand a debut to Tilak Varma?] I will go with Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav. Who will be in the playing XI, can be decided after looking at the balance and the opposition. But Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav will both be in my team,” told Patil to Star Sports.
Addressing about the lack of a left-hander in the middle order Shastri said, “I’m very impressed with Tilak Varma. Very, very impressed. And I want a left-hander. So, if I’m looking for a left-hander in the middle order like Yuvraj Singh and before that was Suresh Raina at five, I would really look in that direction.”
The jigsaw puzzle that is the Indian squad is getting complex with each passing day. In a press conference here, India captain Rohit Sharma made a patient and frank admission about all that is worrying his team before the mega event. “We want to win but at the same time there are a lot of questions for which we need answers,” he said.
Like the No 4 problem. Since the loss of form of Yuvraj Singh, no one has nailed that spot, despite the mass audition programme that has lasted for nearly a decade. From Ajinkya Rahane and Kedar Jadhav to KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer and now Suryakumar Yadav, several were furnished a chance
There is no escaping from reality, Sharma stated. “Look, No 4 has been an issue for us for a long time. After Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh), nobody has come and settled themselves in the role,” he said.
The more the merrier. That is the view of former India head coach Ravi Shastri when it comes to the all-rounders in India squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
When asked of his opinion with regards to the 15-player squad India would go with in the marquee event, Shastri told Star Sports, “I think to be fair, I will go with both the all-rounders – Axar and Shardul, it gives me an opportunity. And keep Sanju Samson on standby in case something happens to the keeper there, where he can just fly out.” (Read more of what he said)
Sanjay Manjrekar on Star Sports: "KL Rahul is fit, then he is India's number one wicketkeeper. If he isn't, then India start looking at Ishan Kishan or Sanju Samson. For me, Kishan is the number two choice because he's a left hander, which is why you also have Tilak Varma in the consideration."
Out of action for about a year because of another career-threatening injury, Jasprit Bumrah, like so many times before, had been written off again. One of the few fully-committed all-format Indian bowlers, he was also unfairly trolled for missing national team assignments while being an IPL regular.
Jasprit Bumrah could be to Rohit Sharma what Zaheer Khan was to MS Dhoni during the World Cup winning campaign of 2011. Read Sandeep Dwivedi's sports column on the 29-year-old.
It's been quite a wait for India's pace spearhead as well as all the other stock holders in Indian cricket. But Jasprit Bumrah's return has been a sigh of relief. With four wickets in two games since his comeback, the signs are all positive ahead of the Asia Cup.
Largely plain over fetched the 29-year-old pacer a brace of wickets as he clocked an average speed of 137kph, and took as long as the third ball of his second over to hit 140 clicks. Sandip G's report of Bumrah's first outing for Indian team in a year's time.
While there have been speculations around Team India's composition for the Asia Cup with the shuffling in the recently concluded Caribbean tour, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja defended coach Rahul Dravid’s decision to rest senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the second ODI, where India lost by six wickets.
“This is the series before Asia Cup and World Cup, where we can experiment, we can try out new combinations. Once we will go to play Asia Cup and World Cup, we won’t be able to do experiment anything. It’s a good thing that we will get the idea about what is team’s balance, strengths and weaknesses,” he told reporters ahead of the series decider. (More from him here)
KL Rahul’s return to the national squad might take some more time as the senior selection committee is likely to leave him out for the Asia Cup, while Shreyas Iyer’s return also hangs in the balance. The panel headed by Ajit Agarkar will meet in Delhi on Monday to pick the squad for the continental tournament.
Rahul underwent surgery on his right thigh a few months ago, while Iyer too went under the knife for a back injury. Both players have been trying hard to return to competitive cricket but it’s learnt that the selection committee will first assess their fitness reports. It’s the main reason it has summoned National Cricket Academy (NCA) head (sports science and medicine) Nitin Patel. (Read more from Devendra Pandey's report)
In their road to the ODI World Cup, it's time for India to start taking measures of what their squad will look like at the marquee tournament later this year at home. The Asia Cup squad announcement on Monday is likely to give us a picture of that how. With Jasprit Bumrah back, bowling at full tilt and leading the side in the Ireland T20I series, there's a big positive in terms of the bowling department. Mohammed Shami, who has stayed out of action since the 2023 World Test Championship Final is also likely to make his return. But the bigger concerns for India are in their batting, specifically in the middle order.
KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are yet to make their return after nursing thigh and back injuries respectively. The Indian Express learns that while it is unlikely that Rahul features in the Asia Cup squad, there is still uncertainty around Shreyas Iyer's fitness. Can he make a return in time to stabilise a vulnerable middle order or will India have to look at other candidates? We're about to find out. Stay tuned for all the updates from the squad announcement and the press conference from captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar later.