Hold onto your cricket hats, folks! The India squad for Asia Cup 2023 has dropped, and it’s raining surprises. That right, our speedster Jasprit Bumrah, fresh from a pesky back injury, has swung right back into the ODI mix.
Presenting the Squad Line-up: Skipper-extraordinaire Rohit Sharma, power-packed Hardik Pandya, dynamic duo KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer (both back in action from injuries, by the way), and the ever-so-sizzling Virat Kohli. Wait, there’s more: Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, young gun Tilak Varma, all-rounders galore with Jadeja, Patel, Thakur, and spin-maestro Kuldeep Yadav. Backing up the pace, there’s Bumrah, Krishna, Shami, and Siraj. And hey, the ever-elusive Sanju Samson is hanging out in the reserves.
Chatter suggests KL might not jump back into the playing XI straight away, giving Ishan Kishan ample dance-floor space to strut his stuff. And well, Rahul might just be waiting to make that dramatic entry during the Super Four stage.
While we’re basking in the glow of this star-studded lineup, there’s a parallel universe where some dazzling stars are absent from this cricket party.
The ‘Could-Have-Been-There’ Five:
#5 Yashasvi Jaiswal: Despite wowing us against West Indies, Jaiswal finds himself out. Maybe the selectors are saving the big reveal for the World Cup? The lad’s got an enviable average of 53 in List A cricket, so expect fireworks post the World Cup, especially if Rohit decides to pass on the bat
#4 Ravichandran Ashwin: Remember Ashwin from the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy? Yeah, he’s MIA. The spinning wheel is now handed over to Kuldeep, Jadeja, and Patel. Hope they’ve got their twirls and swirls in place because Ashwin’s absence might just spin things differently.
#3 Arshdeep Singh: This young pacer, despite his mark in T20s, seems to have lost his ticket to the Asia Cup express. But don’t rule him out for the big Carnival just yet.
#2 Yuzvendra Chahal: Chahal being benched? Quite the googly! Those 121 wickets in 72 ODIs somehow didn’t work their magic this time. But hey, Patel’s all-rounder show might just fill that void.
Image Source – HindustanTimes
#1 Sanju Samson: Forever the ‘almost-there’ guy. The selectors threw a curveball, choosing debutante Tilak Varma over experienced Samson. But with a batting average of 55.71, Sanju’s still in the game for the World Cup finale.
Cricket enthusiasts, the Asia Cup is more than just matches now. It’s a play of strategies, comebacks, and surprises. The field’s set, the players are ready; let’s get this cricket carnival rolling!
