The 2023 Asia Cup starts on August 30, but India are yet to announce their squad for the event that is widely being looked at as a precursor for the upcoming World Cup. Here’s a look at the selection questions India are facing ahead of the Asia Cup.
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The 2023 World Cup is less than two months away, but India continue to fret over the fitness of some first-choice players. The Asia Cup is where they would ideally like to settle in with the final combination that they want for the World Cup, but it will not be a cakewalk.
What is the status of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant?
Rahul, Iyer, and Pant have been India’s best ODI middle-order batters since the last World Cup, but all three have been down with injuries and there have been conflicting reports about the current status of their fitness. India have tried out several players in their absence, but their returns have not matched those of the trio yet.
While Pant unlikely for the World Cup, let alone for the Asia Cup, Rahul and Iyer are in a race against time to be fit for the Asia Cup. India will want them back as soon as possible so that they get enough game time before the World Cup.
Should India continue with their experiments?
In the ODI series in the West Indies, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli sat out in the last two ODIs after pushing themselves down the order in the first. Suryakumar Yadav played once at No.3 and twice at No.6; Sanju Samson was moved around in the middle order; and Ruturaj Gaikwad got a game, as did Axar Patel, who batted as high as No.4.
With Kuldeep Yadav’s emphatic return to form, India may feel that they do not need another wrist-spinner, especially as Chahal is not the greatest batter or fielder. That may pave the door once again for R Ashwin – not only because he bowls off-breaks but also for the batting cushion down the order. If India are thinking about going down that path, the Asia Cup would be the right time to start the journey.
Batting depth or bowling quality?
The perennial question that has haunted India in white-ball cricket: with a long tail, should they pick a bowler who can bat (Shardul Thakur or Axar Patel) or the four best bowlers?
Thakur has performed consistently with the ball and has, in fact, been the highest wicket-taker for India in ODIs since the last World Cup. If India do pick him in the XI, they will have to leave out both Mohammed Shami and Prasidh Krishna (if Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj take the two seamers’ spots), along with Kuldeep. India have to make this tactical decision and commit to it during the Asia Cup.
