India’s second-string team faced West Indies in a five-match T20I series in the Caribbean and USA. Regular captain Rohit Sharma and former skipper Virat Kohli continue to remain absent from the format, while the likes of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah were not considered due to fitness issues. Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj were also rested from the series due to workload management. But still, plenty of big names were present for the flight in the T20I contest.
The Asia Cup 2023 is less than even 20 days away and India would like to fine-tune their preparations for the regional tournament before the World Cup action rolls in the country in October-November. The Men in Blue are yet to announce their team for the regional event but there will be some players taking on West Indies which are likely to be dropped for the Asian tournament.
6 Players unlikely for Asia Cup:
1. Yashasvi Jaiswal: Even though Jaiswal has made the headlines for his tour of the West Indies, it looks less likely that he will be part of the Asia Cup squad. This is due that the Asia Cup squad is likely to be mostly similar to the World Cup squad. India already have Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan as their opening options and having four can be a bit too much.
2. Sanju Samson: The fate of Sanju Samson’s consistent run in International cricket has been a topic of debate. Samson has played only a handful of ODIs this year, part of which was due to his injury earlier in the year. He shall find his place if KL Rahul is not fit to be included. If Rahul would be fit, Kishan shall be the backup keeper and opener, making no way for Samson. Also, Samson is part of the T20I series against Ireland, which will conclude on August 23, just seven days before the Asia Cup.
3. Ravi Bishnoi: Young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi has got a fair amount of chances in India’s T20I teams. The 22-year-old has played just one ODI in October 2022 against South Africa. India have plenty of spin options to choose from in the Asia Cup. Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are in the mix, which makes it less likely for Bishnoi to get a nod.
4. Arshdeep Singh: Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh caught the attention of many with his swing and left-arm angle. He played in the T20 World Cup in 2022 and was also picked for ODIs against New Zealand. His inclusion to the side would provide a variety to the pace attack but he might not find his name in the Asia Cup squad. Singh faces tough competition in an already packed pace attack featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur and Jaydev Unadkat in the scheme of things for the tournament.
5. Avesh Khan: Making a comeback in the India T20I squad, Avesh is yet to get a game in West Indies. He last played an ODI in October 2022 and has not had enough games under his belt for big-ticket tournaments. Additionally, he is part of the Ireland squad too.
6. Mukesh Kumar: Ranji Trophy star Mukesh Kumar made his debut in all three formats in a matter of two weeks. He played Tests, ODIs and T20Is vs West Indies and impressed many with his control. However, he faces competition from some first-choice bowlers and is unlikely to be on the trip for Asia Cup.
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