India's strongest playing XI for the Asia Cup 2023

Team India have named a 17-man squad for the 2023 Asia Cup, which will be held in Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the upcoming weeks.

Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul have been named in the squad after missing a significant chunk of the ongoing calendar year with back and thigh injuries, respectively.

The contingent also features Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, who played their first competitive matches in almost a year against Ireland recently.

India's squad for Asia Cup: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammad Shami, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Prasidh Krishna.

With as many as 17 names in the mix, all offering different skill sets, the Men in Blue have quite a few combinations they can put out depending upon the conditions on offer.

Here is India's strongest playing XI for the Asia Cup 2023.

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Openers: Rohit Sharma (c) and Shubman Gill

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma will need to come good in the Asia Cup

India's opening combination is fairly settled in ODIs, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill forming a potent pair at the top of the order. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has also claimed that Ishan Kishan is being viewed as the third opening option.

Gill's form has looked slightly patchy of late, but it's not a major cause of concern as of now. The young opener was, in fact, the Player of the Match in the last ODI India featured in.

Rohit, meanwhile, hasn't been able to convert his starts into big scores often enough. Nevertheless, the Indian skipper is a world-class batter who has the tendency to up his game in big tournaments.

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Middle order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul (wk)

Virat Kohli knows a thing or two about scoring runs at Asia Cups

Virat Kohli knows a thing or two about scoring runs at Asia Cups. The superstar batter, who is finding a second wind in international cricket following a lean run that lasted a few years, has mostly been consistent in 50-over cricket despite the same. He will play a key role for the Men in Blue at No. 3.

Shreyas Iyer has been adjudged fit for the Asia Cup, although reports suggested that he might not make the grade. The batter had nailed down the No. 4 spot before being laid low by injury, and with none of his replacements managing to impress, he will be India's first choice at the spot.

Tilak Varma is another option, but the 20-year-old hasn't even been handed his maiden ODI cap yet. Suryakumar Yadav, meanwhile, has struggled to bat in the top four and is presumably being viewed as a finisher of sorts.

KL Rahul is facing a race against time to be fit for India's Asia Cup opener, owing to a fresh niggle that is unrelated to the thigh injury he is recovering from. The right-handed batter will don the gloves in the first-choice playing XI, having found a home at No. 5 in ODIs.

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All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shardul Thakur

Hardik Pandya is arguably India's most important ODI all-rounder

Hardik Pandya, arguably India's most important ODI all-rounder, will slot in at No. 6. Ravindra Jadeja, who is still ahead of Axar Patel in the pecking order, will follow him in the batting lineup and share finishing duties.

It's at No. 8 that India have a few options. Mohammad Shami, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, and Axar are the choices at their disposal, and the conditions could dictate whether Rohit and Co. want to go in with an additional spinner or a third frontline quick bowler.

Shami's ODI numbers over the last three years haven't been too impressive. Although he seems like he'd be the first choice on paper, it might be wise for India to explore the option of fielding Shardul at No. 8.

India have struggled to find someone who can throw their bat around at the position, and Shardul has also picked up an impressive 14 wickets at an average of 14.63 in the seven ODIs he has played in 2023. So he could steal a march over Shami.

Axar could replace Shardul if the conditions are very spin-friendly, while Prasidh could be nothing more than a backup simply because of his long spell on the sidelines.

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Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav has become India's first-choice wrist-spinner in white-ball cricket

India's frontline bowlers have nailed down their spots in the playing XI and are guaranteed to be part of the strongest side.

While Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj have been the Men in Blue's premier wicket-takers over the last two years, Jasprit Bumrah has breathed fire in Ireland and seems set to carry his form into the longer format as well.