A decision on India’s participation in the Asian Games 2023 will be taken at the BCCI Apex Council Meeting on July 7. BCCI reluctantly agreed to send both men’s and women’s teams to Hangzhou China. The quadrennial event however clashes with both the Asia Cup 2023 and the World Cup 2023 hosted by India. As things stand, it is unlikely that any of the top WC stars will travel for the tournament.
The ICC World Cup will take place from October 5 to November 23 while the Asian Games will be hosted in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8. When cricket was played at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014, India did not enter a team. The BCCI is also lobbying for cricket to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, therefore it is very possible that India would send teams to the Asian Games this time. In 2022, the Indian women’s squad competed in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
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Should India participate, BCCI will likely send a second string side featuring World Cup rejects to China. Shikhar Dhawan led the team in Rohit Sharma’s absence last year and could make the cut. If BCCI opts for a youthful side, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal are contenders to lead if they do not make the World Cup squad. The rest of the squad will be made up of mostly U-23 and IPL performers. Besides them, players who have been identified as emerging players by the NCA will also be considered. It is set to be an India A team.
India Women’s Cricket Team will have no engagements as such in September apart from domestic cricket. India Women’s tour of Bangladesh ends on July 22. In that case, India will have Harmanpreet Kaur free to lead the side.
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