Former Indian wicketkeeper Saba Karim has backed Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan as prime contenders to step in at positions four and five, should the primary choices be unavailable for the imminent Asia Cup 2023 and ODI World Cup 2023. The upcoming squad announcement for the Asia Cup will reveal whether Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, the favored selections, have made the final cut.
“The selectors should take KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer into consideration — they can be included in the team if they are fit. But the wait has not ended, the team will be announced on the 20th from what I know, they have the time until then. But if they are not fit, Ishan Kishan is a good option against Rahul since he can bat as an opener and in the middle-order,” Karim told the media during a chat organised by Jio Cinema.
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Karim, while suggesting three options for the fifth spot for the Asia Cup 2023, expressed a preference for experienced batter Suryakumar Yadav. “If Shreyas Iyer is not fit, you have 2-3 options to pick from, in Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav. But for me, Suryakumar has gained experience of playing one-day cricket both domestically and internationally. I will still back Suryakumar Yadav,” he said.
Additionally, Karim expressed confidence in Jasprit Bumrah’s potential to utilize the forthcoming opportunity for valuable match practice in Ireland. “The team management and selectors would be more concerned about Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness levels and match fitness. This (series) is a T20 format and it (captaincy) won’t add more burden on him. It will only help him to understand his body better. They (India) are playing three T20 games, he can play at different phases,” he added.
Scheduled to kick off on August 30 in Multan, the Asia Cup 2023 will see India’s inaugural match against Pakistan taking place on September 2. While the ODI World Cup 2023 is slated to start on October 5, with India’s initial encounter against Australia set for October 8.
