IND vs PAK: Should Sanju Samson Have Been Picked Over KL Rahul In Asia Cup 2023 Squad? Abhishek Nayar Responds
Published - 29 Aug 2023, 09:06 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:17 AM
Former India cricketer Abhishek Nayar has said that the wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has been picked in India’s 17-man squad for Asia Cup 2023 despite not being fully fit because the BCCI selection committee wants to give him some game time ahead of the all-important ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan are the two wicketkeeper-batters in India’s 17-man squad for the continental tournament while Sanju Samson has been kept as a standby.
Rahul had fully recovered from the thigh injury he sustained during IPL 2023. However, during the Asia Cup squad announcement press conference, chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed that the wicketkeeper-batter has picked up a fresh niggle and might miss a few matches in the Asia Cup 2023.
On Tuesday, August 29, India head coach Rahul Dravid provided an update on Rahul’s fitness. He said that Rahul is “progressing really well”, but has been ruled out of India’s first two matches against Pakistan and Nepal.
Also, the wicketkeeper-batter will not travel with the team to Sri Lanka on Wednesday and will continue to work with the physios at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
KL Rahul has a niggle but he is in the squad – Abhishek Nayar
In an interaction with TOI, Abhishek Nayar was asked whether Sanju should have been given preference over Rahul in the 17-man squad. He justified Rahul’s selection, saying that he is likely to play World Cup and that giving him game time in the Asia Cup was important.
“It’s a tough question. KL has a niggle but he is in the squad. You want to give him game time and enough matches to build up. The players who are likely to play in the World Cup should be in the team.
“Sanju has been playing in the West Indies and Ireland which is great, but with KL coming back from an injury, you have to give him enough game time before the World Cup,” Nayar, who is a cricket expert for Jio Cinema, further told TimesofIndia.com.
The continental tournament will be played from Wednesday, August 30, to Sunday, September 17. A total of six teams will feature in the marquee tournament, which consists of 13 matches.
