It’s a call for celebration for Indian cricket fans, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul have been named in the squad for the upcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. Both these talented batters had been sidelined due to long-term injuries, leaving a void in India’s middle-order. However, their return comes as a massive boost for the team, especially with the World Cup looming just around the corner.
Ajit Agarkar, Chairman of the Indian Senior Men’s Selection Committee, confirmed that Shreyas Iyer has successfully recovered from his injury and is ready to hit the field. On the other hand, KL Rahul, although back from his long-term injury, is nursing a minor niggle that might cause him to miss a game or two during the Asia Cup, as per Agarkar. As a precaution, the selectors have included Sanju Samson as a backup player in the squad.
Tilak Varma, who impressed during his debut in West Indies, has received his maiden ODI call-up, showcasing the selectors’ confidence in his abilities. Despite facing pressure in the 50-over format, Suryakumar Yadav has retained his place in the 17-man squad. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya, the T20I captain, continues to serve as the vice-captain for the 50-over setup.
Leading the pace attack will be Jasprit Bumrah, who recently made a highly anticipated comeback during the Ireland series. The pace battery also features the likes of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and the versatile bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur. In the spin department, Yuzvendra Chahal has been omitted, with Kuldeep Yadav chosen as the primary spinner alongside all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Captain Rohit Sharma emphasized the importance of having players who can contribute with the bat down the order, particularly at numbers 8 and 9. This was a key factor in the selection process, which led to the exclusion of Chahal. Rohit also revealed that discussions had included both off-spinners and leg-spinners as options. However, Axar Patel’s recent performances in white-ball cricket and his left-handed batting abilities made him a valuable addition to the squad, providing India with the much-needed batting depth, as mentioned in a report by Cric Buzz.
The Asia Cup journey for India kicks off on September 2nd with a highly anticipated clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in Pallekele. They will then face Nepal on September 4th as they aim to progress to the Super Fours stage of the tournament. Cricket enthusiasts worldwide are eagerly awaiting these matches as India looks to assert its dominance in the region once again.
