BCCI has named a 15-man squad for the 19th Asian Games. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Maharashtra fly-half Ruturaj Gaikwad has been named captain of this young team. In case you didn’t know, BCCI had confirmed earlier that they will be sending a ‘B’ team to the Asian Games as the main team will be busy preparing for the World Cup which starts on October 5 at home. Cricket at the Asian Games will take place from September 28 to October 8 in the T20 format.
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One of the main features of the team is the presence of 7 IPL stars who are likely to make their T20I debut at the Asian Games, which are expected to be held in Hangzhou, China. The names are Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed and Tilak Varma.
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Arshdeep Singh also features on the side as the opening pitcher. The rest of the bowling contingent includes Mukesh, Avesh Khan, Shivam Mavi, Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi.
Once this team is named, one thing is clear: no member of this unit will participate in the ICC Cricket World Cup. It also paves the way for five cricketers who are not part of the current ODI West Indies squad but can still qualify for the World Cup squad.
______ _____… now part of the #MenInBlue! ___
I also wish the best to Venkatesh Iyer who is on the waiting list! _#AsianGames | #RinkuSingh | #VenkateshIyer pic.twitter.com/l519h8NznW
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) July 14, 2023
Who are the cricketers who can benefit from not being selected in the Asian Games squad?
1.R.Ashwin
Not in calculating a place in the World Cup squad, but in not naming Ashwin to the Asian Games squad, the coaches kept their options open. Ashwin hasn’t played ODI cricket for a long time. The chances of his return are low but there must be a reason why he was passed over for the Asian Games considering he is also a solid T20 bowler.
2. Varun Chakaravarthy
Mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy was also passed over for Asian Games selection. Although there is already a big fight between two quality wrist spinners for a place between Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, the selectors want to keep a close eye on Varun’s progress.
3. Vijay Shankar
Versatile batsman Vijay Shankar could be an option for India, in case Hardik Pandya gets injured. Shankar may not yet be of the same quality as Hardik in international cricket, but he is the best option to replace him in this XI in the country, for now.
4. Omran Malik
Pacemaker Jammu & Kashmir and Sunrisers Hyderabad were not included in the Asian Games squad. Selectors are keeping a close eye on Jasprit Bumrah. He should be fit at the start of the Aia Cup. However, the selectors would want a fast bowler with extreme pace who could be a game-changer and break the partnership in the middle of overs as well as can play from the death. Umran might be inexperienced but he is definitely an X-factor cricketer.
5. Axar Patel
India’s orthodox left-arm spinner is expected to be Ravindra Jadeja’s replacement option in the squad. It will be interesting to see if Axar makes the cut in the top 15 selected for the World Cup. But one thing is certain, the coaches would like to keep him fresh and injury-free for the World Cup. This is the reason why Axar does not go to China to play in the Asian Games.