Asia Cup 2023 | India's Playing XI For Inaugural Game vs Pakistan
Tilak Varma made a surprising entry into India's Asia Cup squad [Twitter]
On Monday, India announced a robust 17-member squad for the Asia Cup 2023, set to begin on August 30. While Tilak Varma received a surprising ODI call-up, the exclusion of experienced spinner Yuzvendra Chahal raised a million eyebrows. Meanwhile, the return of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul has strengthened the Indian middle order for the marquee event.
Although team India have a balanced squad, they could face the problem of plenty while picking their playing XI for the high-voltage opening clash against arch-rivals Pakistan. So, as the Men in Blue gear up for the mother of all battles, let's see what could be their playing XI for this game.
Top-order: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli
Kohli and Rohit will spearhead India's batting unit [Twitter]
India's top order looks rock-solid, studded with three swashbuckling batters, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli. While Gill will open alongside skipper Sharma, Kohli will bat at his preferred number three position.
The top order holds significant importance for India, as these three players will be required to not only neutralise Pakistan's rampant new-ball attack but also set the foundation for a solid start to the innings.
Middle Order: Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja
Shreyas Iyer will bat at number 4 [Twitter]
India's worrisome middle order emerged as one of the biggest headaches for their think tank during the West Indies ODIs, as the likes of Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel had disappointing outings.
However, the problem seems to be resolved this time with the return of first-choice players, particularly Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, who will bat at number 4 and 5, respectively. Meanwhile, all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja will bat at number six and seven, respectively.
Bowlers: Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Jasprit Bumrah will lead India's bowling department [Twitter]
The Indian bowling lineup is pretty much capable of destroying any kind of batting lineup, studded with genuine wicket-takers like Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
While Siraj and Bumrah will open the bowling with the new ball, Thakur could emerge as India's go-to man in the middle overs. Meanwhile, Kuldeep has been exceptional with the ball of late and could rattle any kind of lineup through his wily variations.
India's Probable Playing XI For Inaugural Game vs Pakistan
| Rohit Sharma (C) |
| Shubman Gill |
| Virat Kohli |
| Shreyas Iyer |
| KL Rahul (WK) |
| Hardik Pandya |
| Ravindra Jadeja |
| Shardul Thakur |
| Kuldeep Yadav |
| Jasprit Bumrah |
| Mohammed Siraj |
N.B: There is slight concern on KL Rahul's fitness, as he has developed a niggle, as revealed by BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar. If he doesn't get fit, Ishan Kishan will be the front-runner to replace him in the Indian middle-order.
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