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According to a new report by the Times of India, the Indian government may interfere with the BCCI's squad selection for the Asian Games T20 Cricket Competition, which will be held in September this year.
On Saturday, the BCCI revealed a long list of 30 players who would be eligible to be selected for the Asian Games. Most notably, current ODI skipper Shubman Gill and current T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav were both absent from the list.
The Games will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. The cricket competition will start on September 23.
"It was pre-decided to not include Suryakumar Yadav in the long-list" - BCCI source
A senior BCCI source has told TOI that the selectors decided all the way back in Januray itself that Suryakumar Yadav would not be included in the Asian Games squad.
This decision was apparently made with the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 in mind, so that the selectors could identify Suryakumar's successor.
The final 15 out of the long list of 30 will be selected in the second week of June. The last date to make changes to the longlist was on May 14.
"It was decided in Jan that Suryakumar Yadav will not be part of the Asian Games. The focus is on ODI World Cup preparations. There are a few players in the long list who play the ODI format too. The govt will prefer if the BCCI sends a full-strength team to the Asian Games. A call on the Asian Games teams will be taken after consulting the govt," the source said.
"Suryakumar Yadav's future as captain at stake" - BCCI source
The same source further said that a call on whether to continue with Suryakumar as T20I captain will also be taken in the selection meeting to finalize the Asian Games squad.
When the Indian National Selectors meet next, they are expected to pick the teams for India's limited-overs tours to Ireland (2 T20Is) and England (3 ODIs, 5 T20Is). The squad for India A's two unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka A is also expected to be announced. The meeting is likely to happen before India's one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh starts on Jun 6.
Suryakumar Yadav has been woefully out of form across both international cricket and the IPL for the better part of the last two years. This arguably means that he is likely to be the focus of these selection meetings.
"The selectors are looking at possible captaincy options before taking a call on Suryakumar Yadav. While Shreyas lyer and Sanju Samson appear to be contenders, vice-captain Axar Patel's name has also been floated to do the job before the selectors zero down on a clear successor. It will also be seen if Surya will be given another tour to rediscover his touch as a player. The next selection meeting will make things clear," a BCCI source told TOI.
Shubman Gill is missing due to a clash with the West Indies ODIs
While the reason has not been made official, it is widely believed that the main reason Shubman Gill was not chosen for the Asian Games was due to the Games clashing with India's home series against the West Indies.
India will play a series comprising three ODIs and five T20Is between September 27 and October 17. The selectors have reportedly prioritized the ODIs over the Asian Games with an eye on the ODI World Cup in South Africa next year.
