Sarfaraz Khan To Make ODI Debut Before Test Selection, New Captain In The Tournament: India's Squad for Asian Games 2023 Finalized

Sarfaraz Khan To Make ODI Debut Before Test Selection, New Captain In The Tournament: India’s Squad for Asian Games 2023 Finalized. BCCI is all set to send an Indian team for the Asian Games 2023 to be played in Hangzhou, China between September 22, 2023, top October 8, 2023. The event is coinciding with the ICC World Cup 2023 starting on October 5 in India.

Cricket is a part of the Asian Games 2023 for the first time in 9 years. Back in 2010 and 2014, Cricket was part of this marquee event. This is the first time India is sending teams to the Asian Games. As per reports, the BCCI has agreed on sending a men’s and a women’s team to the showpiece event. While the women’s team might be a full-strength squad, the BCCI might send an India-B team for the event in China.

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Reports further say that VVS Laxman might be the coach of the India B side with Rahul Dravid likely to be busy with the Indian cricket team in the ICC World Cup 2023. Laxman has been an interim coach of the Indian side in a previous series against Ireland.

Shikhar Dhawan might be backed to lead the side in Hangzhou, with the majority of the senior players playing the World Cup at home. The southpaw was recently snubbed from the Indian Test and ODI squads for the upcoming series against West Indies. Dhawan, 37, last played for India in ODIs during the Bangladesh tour in December 2022. The veteran batter has previously led India in ODIs and T20Is in Sri Lanka. He also led the team in an away series in West Indies in 2022.

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The BCCI might be forced to consider a few key players from domestic cricket to make up the Indian squad for the Asian Games 2023. This is where their selection criteria will be tested with the regular players busy playing the World Cup.

In this article, we take a look at India’s likely squad for the Asian Games 2023 to be played in Hangzhou, China later this year.

Sarfaraz Khan To Make ODI Debut Before Test Selection, New Captain In The Tournament: India’s Squad for Asian Games 2023 Finalized

Openers: Shikhar Dhawan (C) / Yashasvi Jaiswal / Prithvi Shaw

Dhawan will be one of the openers for India. The other can be either Jaiswal or Shaw depending upon the team combination. The southpaw is experienced enough to lead a young group of players and hence should be able to lead a team of youngsters.

This is an ideal opportunity for players like Jaiswal or Shaw to step up and perform to come to the notice of the selectors. The left-hander had a really big IPL season, while Shaw has been struggling with his form off late.

Also Read: IND vs WI: Prithvi Shaw Joins New Team After Constantly Being Ignored By Indian Selectors – Reports

Middle-Order: Manish Pandey, Sarfaraz Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran

India have enough experienced players to fill in for the middle order. This is when the selectors should give a chance to both Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran after snubbing them both from the West Indies Test squads. Sarfaraz Khan averages nearly 80 in domestic cricket while Easwaran averages close to 50. Manish Pandey has led Karnataka in domestic cricket before.

Also Read: From Sarfaraz Khan To Rinku Singh, Here Are The Indian Players Who Suffered BCCI Politics In IND vs WI Squad Selections

Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson / Jitesh Sharma

Samson and Jitesh Sharma can be the two wicketkeepers on the side. Both can bat in the middle order as well and extend the Indian batting lineup. With KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant both likely to be fit for the World Cup, Samson, and Jitesh looks to be the two best options for keeper-batsman.

Pacers: Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Jaydev Unadkat, Umran Malik

Deepak Chahar can very well lead the Indian pace attack in the Asian Games 2023. With the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar the likely four pacers for the World Cup, Chahar along with Saini, Jaydev Unadkar and Umran Malik are the best options for backup seamers. The attack has the necessary pace required as well with Saini and Malik in the mix.

Spinners: Ravichandran Ashwin, Murugan Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi

With Ashwin unlikely to be picked for the ODI World Cup at home, his experience will be invaluable in the Asian Games. He can very well be the vice-captain of the side and be an integral part of the leadership group. Veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has even backed him to become the captain of the side. Murugan Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi can be the two-leg spinners in the side along with the ace spinner Ashwin.

Also Read: IND vs WI: Dinesh Karthik Backs Ravichandran Ashwin To Become India Captain For Asian Games

Virat Kohli | Rohit Sharma | Rishabh Pant | KL Rahul | Suryakumar Yadav | Sanju Samson | Shreyas Iyer | Yuzvendra Chahal | Jasprit Bumrah