Asia Cup 2023: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma head to Asia Cup 2023 by playing zero and five balls respectively. Both the senior players played only one ODI against West Indies, as head coach Rahul Dravid wanted to experiment. But the question is Will that be enough for Rohit and Kohli ahead of the Continental Cup?
The two superstars have also played only 11 & 12 ODI innings in the last 12 months. It was only against Australia before IPL 2023 that Rohit and Kohli had match practice in the ODI format. With games coming back-to-back in Asia Cup, the senior batters can’t afford any slipups. Kohli and Rohit did not play two ODIs against Windies as Dravid wanted to experiment by giving chances to young players.
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Asia Cup 2023: Kohli, Rohit Sharma gear up for Asia Cup with zero match practice
Asia Cup is due to start on August 30, and Dravid won’t have any time for experimentation. During the press conference, the former India captain defended the decision to back young players. “Honestly, this was our last chance to try some of our players. We have got four of our players who are injured and are in the NCA. With days to go for the Asia Cup and then the World Cup, we are kind of running out of time in a lot of ways. And we are hoping that some of them will be for the Asia Cup and the World Cup.
But we can’t take those chances. We have to try out other people and give them chances. In the worst-case scenario, they at least have game time behind them,” Rahul Dravid said after the India vs West Indies 2nd ODI.
Will Rohit & Kohli be match ready for Asia Cup?
- India will play 10 ODIs before the World Cup 2023, but that depends on whether India qualifies for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup.
- While Kohli is in sublime form in ODIs, Rohit got back to form with a timely hundred against New Zealand.
- However, the series against New Zealand & Australia happened before IPL.
- With no match practice, Rohit and Kohli need to hit straps in the first game against Pakistan.
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