India and Pakistan will lock horns on Saturday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy to resume their rivalry on the field in the Asia Cup 2023 Group A encounter.
While most of the Indian players are coming off a long break, Babar Azam and the Pakistan team defeated Afghanistan 3-0 in an ODI series preceding the Asia Cup and kick-started their tournament with a massive 238-run victory over Nepal in Multan. The world number 1 ranked men’s ODI side, Pakistan’s biggest challenge now is facing Rohit Sharma’s side.
For India, another selection conundrum has opened up after KL Rahul’s “minor niggle” that ruled him out of India’s first two matches – on September 2 against Pakistan of Asia Cup 2023 and on September 4 against Kandy in Asia Cup 2023 . Ishan Kishan is the back-up keeper in the 17-man squad, and is expected to be picked ahead of Sanju Samson, who is the 18th man, the traveling reserve, and will only come into the squad if KL Rahul or any other batsman is ruled out of the tournament.
Ishan Kishan set to replace KL Rahul in the middle-order for Pakistan match
The Indian Express has reported that India will play Ishan Kishan in the middle-order in these first two matches in the absence of KL Rahul. Given he’s a left-hander, he could be even slotted in at number 4, with Shreyas Iyer being pushed down to Number 5.
This will mean that Ishan Kishan will bat out of his favored position: in 6 ODI innings as an opener, he averages 70, with one double century vs Bangladesh, and 3 fifties which came in the recent West Indies ODI series; however, he averages only 30 in the 10 innings he’s batted at numbers 3 and 4 in ODIs. Despite his contrasting numbers as an opener and in the middle-order, Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma are reported to have finalized Ishan Kishan for the middle-order role in the absence of KL Rahul.
The top three of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli pick themselves, so does the middle-order and all-rounder section comprising Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja. Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah are certain to start.
For the remaining two positions, there are four contenders: fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj – one of these two will get in the side; however, both are unlikely to play together in Pallekele where spinners found help in the Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match. With spinners getting assistance, India could pick Axar Patel over Shardul Thakur as the third all-rounder in the side.
India’s probable playing XI vs Pakistan: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur/Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj/Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
