The Indian cricket team is gearing up for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023, which will take place in Sri Lanka and Pakistan from August 30 to September 17. The team has assembled in Bengaluru at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for a 6-day camp. The camp will be supervised by head coach Rahul Dravid and his support staff.
The Asia Cup 2023 is a crucial tournament for Team India as it will serve as a preparation for the upcoming World Cup 2023, starting on October 5. The Indian players will be aware that a good tournament will secure their berth for the World Cup 2023.
The Asia Cup will also provide an opportunity for Team India to assess their strengths and weaknesses before the biggest event in cricket. While eyes will be on KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, there will be a few others who will be on Rahul Dravid and selectors’ radar. Among the 17-member squad that will train at NCA, there are five players who will be under the spotlight.
Shreyas Iyer
The stylish middle-order batsman is making a comeback after recovering from a back injury. It kept him out of action for more than four months. He underwent surgery in April and missed the IPL 2023, WTC Final, and West Indies tour. He has proven his fitness in the practice games at the NCA. Now, he will be eager to cement the number 4 spot that has been a conundrum for the Men in Blue for quite some time.
KL Rahul
The former vice-captain is still nursing a niggle that he picked up last week. Notably, the niggle is not related to his original injury that ruled him out in the first place. Physios will monitor KL Rahul keenly with the expectation that he will be fit by the second or third game of the Asia Cup. Sanju Samson is travelling with the team as a reserve in case Rahul fails to recover in time.
Jasprit Bumrah
The pace spearhead is returning to the ODI setup after a long gap due to injury. Bumrah recently made his international comeback in IND vs IRE T20Is. He took 4 wickets in 2 matches and was adjudged Player of the Series. While the pacer looked comfortable in the 2 matches, it will be interesting to see if he will be able to bowl 10-over spells in the Asia Cup 2023 matches.
Shubman Gill
The talented opener, who started 2023 with a bang, is going through a lean patch in runs and form. Gill had a dismal outing in the West Indies where he scored only 2 half-centuries in 11 innings. While skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid have shown trust in the youngster, Shubman will be aware that Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan are knocking on the doors for an opening slot. Another failed series might push him down the pecking order.
Prasidh Krishna
The young fast bowler is returning after an injury that sidelined him for 4-5 months. Krishna made an impression on his return with his pace, and accuracy in IND vs IRE T20Is. However, his fitness issues have been a hindrance to the pacer’s success. The pacer will look to grab selectors’ attention for the World Cup 2023. But his fitness will play a key role in it.
India squad for Asia Cup 2023
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, and Sanju Samson (back up).
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