BCCI selector-in-chief Ajit Agarkar, along with India captain Rohit Sharma, announced the Indian squad for the Asia Cup 2023 and one notable name missing from the 17-member list was Yuzvendra Chahal.
Star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul have been named in the ODI team. Apart from them, all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been appointed as skipper Rohit Sharma’s deputy. Tilak Varma was the new face named in the Asia Cup 2023 as it is his maiden ODI callup in the Men in Blue side.
Sanju Samson has been selected as a backup player because Rahul, who has been included to the team as a wicketkeeper-batter, has yet to demonstrate his full fitness.
Suryakumar Yadav, who struggled in the ODIs against the Caribbean, has a chance to make the Asia Cup team. Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna will form the core of India’s pace attack. Bumrah made his international cricket comeback during the T20I series in Ireland.
Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya are the fast bowling all-rounders for India while Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are the spin-bowling all-rounders who feature in the Asia Cup squad.
Ajit Agarkar And Rohit Sharma Reveal Why Yuzvendra Chahal Missed Out
Yuzvendra Chahal, one of India’s highest wicket-takers in white-ball cricket, won’t feature in the six-team continental tournament. The leg-spinner has been snubbed by the selectors in Asia Cup squad. He was also not picked in the three-match ODI series in West Indies with Kuldeep Yadav chosen over him.
Here’s what BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar said on Yuzvendra Chahal’s omission from India’s Asia Cup 2023 squad: “You can’t fit in two wrist spinners and at the moment Kuldeep is ahead of Chahal.”
Photo by Deepak Malik / Sportzpics for IPL
Axar Patel has picked three wickets in six ODIs he played for team India in 2023, so far. He scored 64 runs while batting well down the order.
Captain Rohit Sharma explained why he opted for Axar Patel over Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin in the 15-member team. The senior opener said Axar’s ability with bat gives the team an edge, a long batting depth.
Rohit Sharma said: “It boils down to batting option at no 8-9. Axar has had a good run with the bat. Allows us to have a left hander and create a long batting depth. We thought about Ashwin and Washington Sundar but just like Yuzvendra Chahal missed out is the reason why Ash missed. Couldn’t leave a seamer out. Also many are making it back after a long time. The door isn’t closed for anyone.”
India’s Asia Cup 2023 squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (Vice-Captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd Shami, Prasidh Krishna. Backup: Sanju Samson.