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The Indian squad for the Asia Cup was announced by the chairman of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, during a press conference on Monday (August 21).
Captain Rohit Sharma was also present as the duo answered a series of questions ranging from the inclusion of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, to the exclusion of Yuzvendra Chahal.
It looks like a very strong squad with Sanju Samson being named as the backup keeper. Ajit Agarkar confirmed that KL Rahul has picked up a niggle post recovering from his previous injury, which is why Samson has been picked as the travelling reserve.
Uncapped middle-order batter Tilak Verma was rewarded for his form in the Caribbean and Agarkar felt he deserved a place in the side.
The return of Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer will definitely bolster India's chances, but lack of match fitness could be a major issue going forward.
The balance of the team seems to be perfect at the moment, with a perfect blend of youth and experience. The all-rounder department looks settled with Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur being the like-for-like replacements for Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur.
Agarkar felt that it was difficult to squeeze in a second wrist spinner. But the skipper Rohit didn't rule out the fact that the likes of Chahal, Ravichandran Ashwin and Washington Sundar can still make the World Cup squad.
The Asia Cup is slated to begin on August 30 and it will be a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, which will be played in India during the months of October-November.
The Asia Cup will also provide the opportunity for the skipper to figure out the combinations for the bigger event beginning in the following month.
That said, let us have a look at the Indian Asia Cup 2023 squad's 3 biggest strengths:
#1 The return of some big names
The Indian squad has been bolstered by the return of four of their preferred picks in the ODI format. Jasprit Bumrah, who made his international return during the ongoing Ireland series, will make his ODI return while Prasidh Krishna has also been named in the squad.
Both speedsters were an integral part of the Indian white-ball set up before injuries put them out of the reckoning for a long time.
Bumrah and Prasidh could forge a lethal new-ball partnership. But given that Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami have emerged as India's preferred option over the last year or so, Prasidh's place in the team is not certain.
In the batting department, the return of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul will provide stability in the middle order. The middle order has looked fragile on occasions and the return of these two top-class players could help India settle things before the World Cup.
As mentioned earlier, Rahul has picked up a niggle, as mentioned by Ajit Agarkar, and might not be fit for the first game of the Asia Cup.
Whether the duo will get enough match practice before the World Cup remains to be seen but their return has certainly answered a few questions for the team management.
#2 Perfect blend of players
Unlike the Indian team of yesteryears, none of the Indian top-order or middle-order batters give an option of rolling their arms over.
While the likes of Rohit and Virat Kohli have bowled before, given the stage of their careers, it won't be a great idea to ask them to chip in with a few overs.
Just to settle some of these issues, the selection committee decided to go with an all-rounder-heavy squad rather than picking specialist bowlers or batters.
As many as four all-rounders have made the squad with the likes of Tilak Verma having the ability to roll his arm over.
The team is a perfect blend of youth and experience with several players having the ability to play multiple roles for the team. Rohit Sharma mentioned in the press conference that he wants the relatively newer players to remain flexible in their roles and play according to the situation.
#3 Presence of some X factor players
The selection committee decided to give a longer rope to Suryakumar Yadav despite his repeated failures in the 50-over format.
Given what Suryakumar brings to the table in the white ball format, it was impossible for Agarkar and Co. to omit him from the squad.
In an interview during the Caribbean tour, Suryakumar mentioned that he is well aware of the fact that his ODI returns are dismal.
However, the team management backs him and wants him to face at least 50-60 deliveries in each innings. It's the fear factor which he brings in the last phase of the innings which tempted the selectors to pick him.
Tilak Verma looked in complete command during the Caribbean tour. It was not just the amount of runs he scored but the way he scored them.
His attacking approach right from the outset could boil down well for India in the subcontinental conditions.
