The Asia Cup 2023 will be played in an hybrid model in September-October with matches taking place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Due to India’s not being allowed to travel to Pakistan, such a hybrid model will be used where India’s matches – and the final if India reach it – will be played in Sri Lanka.
India’s next ODI assignment is the 3-ODI series in West Indies, which will serve as a preparation series for the Asia Cup 2023, and in the larger picture, the World Cup 2023, which India will host.
In this article, we look at the probable 15-man squad for the Asia Cup 2023:
Openers: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are set to open for India in the ODI. Both have been in good form in ODI cricket this year, with Gill having a breakthrough year across formats.
The back-up openers in the reserves would be either Jaiswal or Gaikwad or both. Also, however, Ishan Kishan, who is likely to be one of the two wicket-keepers in the squad, can also act as backup opener, which will allow India to carry an additional bowler or batsman in the main squad.
Middle-order: Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav
Virat Kohli will have a crucial role to play at number 3 where he would be expected to bat long innings as he’s done for over a decade in the middle-order. India’s number 4 is still uncertain in the ODI team after the injury to Shreyas Iyer.
Suryakumar Yadav hasn’t really made a mark in ODI cricket as he’s done in T20Is, but the upcoming series in West Indies could be a game-changer for Suryakumar. If he does well in West Indies, given his brilliant white-ball pedigree, SKY is likely to be retained in the ODI side.
Wicket-keepers: Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson (KL Rahul is fit)
In the absence of KL Rahul, Kishan and Samson are the two wicket-keeping options in coming matches. Samson could get the nod over Kishan for the number 5 position as Samson bats in the middle-order for Rajasthan Royals as well while Kishan is mostly an opener.
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur
India have good stocks in the all-round department. Hardik Pandya and Jadeja are certain starters in India’s XI, while Axar Patel, even though he’s characteristics are similar to Jadeja, has become a more evolved all-rounder with his batting certainly giving Jadeja a tough contest.
Shardul Thakur is recalled for the West Indies tour. Thakur could be the third seamer in the attack and someone who can lengthen the batting.
Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav
Chahal and Kuldeep are the two spinners who are likely contending for one spot in the XI, it might seem, in West Indies. However, in Asian conditions – presented in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and in World Cup in India – there could be a way to fit both of them in the same XI, although they need to show more consistency in coming matches.
Seamers: Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik/Jaydev Unadkat (Jasprit Bumrah if fit)
Shami and Siraj are first-choice seamers in the side with skillset to do well with the new ball and hit hard lengths in middle-overs. However, both of them are fragile in leaking runs in the death overs. And India would certainly be hoping that Bumrah is fit by the time for the Asia Cup.
Umran Malik, Unadkat, who is the only left-handed pacer in the WI squad, and Mukesh Kumar are other contendors for a spot in the Asia Cup squad.
Reserves: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar
India’s probable Asia Cup 2023 squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik/Jaydev Unadkat
(KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer based on fitness)
