The Asia Cup 2023 will be played from August 31 to September 17 in a hybrid model, to be held in Pakistan and in Sri Lanka. All of India’s matches, including if they reach the final, will be played in Sri Lanka, while PCB have retained the hosting rights of the entire tournament.
Sri Lanka are the Asia Cup defending champions – they won last year in the UAE, but the tournament then was in T20 format. The last time the Asia Cup was held in the ODI format was in 2018, which India won, defeating Bangladesh in the final in Dubai.
India will once again start the continental tournament as strong favorites given the talent, class, and experience in their ranks.
India are dealing with injuries to three key players at the moment, but all of them are reported to be fit in time for Asia Cup 2023.
Here’s India’s predicted playing XI for Asia Cup 2023 if all players are fit:
Top order: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli
The Indian top-order trio of Rohit, Gill, and Virat Kohli is certain for India in the Asia Cup, and most likely for the World Cup 2023 as well. All three of them are in good touch this year across formats and would like to continue it, although there will be a good challenge in front of them on the slow, turning pitches in Colombo.
Number 4: Shreyas Iyer/Suryakumar Yadav
India’s number 4 issues from 2019 continue to trouble them in 2023. Last year, it had felt that they found the perfect man for the role in Shreyas Iyer – in ODIs at number 4, Iyer averages 47 in 20 innings with 5 fifties and 2 centuries – but he got injured this year. India tried Suryakumar, but SKY hasn’t been able to transfer his T20 form into ODIs, yet.
Suryakumar will get chances in West Indies to make a claim for a spot in the line-up in West Indies. India will hope Suryakumar does well in West Indies in ODIs, so that they have their man for number 4/5 for Asia Cup, even if Iyer doesn’t recover in time for the continental tournament.
If Iyer does recover for Asia Cup, he’s likely to slot back in at number 4 straightaway.
Wicket-keeper: KL Rahul
KL Rahul was zeroed in as India’s wicket-keeper in ODIs and to bat in middle-order whenever Pant was injured or rested. After Pant got injured in the car accident, KL Rahul was finalized as the keeper in the Australia ODI series and also did the role in Bangladesh last year.
He’s injured currently with Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson fighting for the wicket-keeper’s slot in West Indies. If KL Rahul is fit for Asia Cup, and if he’s fit to do the workload of keeping in ODIs, he will come in the line-up straightaway. Otherwise, Kishan and Samson are the alternatives.
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja
Hardik and Jadeja are crucial components of the Indian team in white-ball cricket as proper all-rounders. Jadeja comes to take much more responsibility as a full 10 overs bowler in Asian conditions and the finisher. Hardik will also be needed to assist the bowlers with his few overs. He will be required to also up his batting game to what we saw in the recent IPL season.
Bowling: Chahal, Shami, Bumrah, Siraj/Kuldeep/Axar
If Jasprit Bumrah is fit, he will come in the side directly, and Shami, too, who’s been rested from the entire West Indies tour to be fresh for ODIs this year.
For the remaining two slots, there are, apparently as it feels, four players contending: Chahal, Axar, Kuldeep, and Siraj. Out of these, Chahal seems to be more likely to be picked in the XI.
Because India will play all their matches in Colombo in Asia Cup, India might not go with a third proper seamer in Siraj, and pick an extra spinner in either Kuldeep or Axar. However, Siraj has been a phenomenal pacer with the new ball, making regular strikes. So it will be a tough call to leave Siraj out of the XI.
Axar provides extra batting to the side and has good control over the run-rate, however, he’s very similar to Jadeja, while chinaman leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav brings variety to the bowling attack.
India’s Predicted Best XI For Asia Cup 2023:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep/Axar
Bench: Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Siraj
