However, at the same time, many also expressed concern over the omission of Sanju Samson from the main squad as well as the exclusion of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Let’s be practical. You cannot please everyone. You can only choose a squad with a set number of members and move on. But are they sufficient to prevail in the preliminary tournament before the main event, the World Cup? Or do they appear to be stronger than Pakistan, who announced their squad over a week ago? Let's dig a bit deeper.
India squad for Asia Cup 2023 Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Prasidh Krishna
Reserve player: Sanju Samson
Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2023 Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi
Batsmen India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma
In Numbers (ODIs)
Name
Innings
Runs
Average
Strike Rate
Rohit Sharmaselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 237select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 9837select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 48.69select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 89.97select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Virat Kohliselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 265select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 12898select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 57.32select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 93.62select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Shubman Gillselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 27select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 1437select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 62.42select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 104.05select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Shreyas Iyerselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 38select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 1631select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 46.60select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 96.50select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table KL Rahulselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 52select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 1986select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 45.13select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 86.57select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Ishan Kishanselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 16select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 694select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 46.26select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 107.43select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Suryakumar Yadavselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 24select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 511select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 24.33select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 101.38select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Tilak Varmaselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table DNPselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table DNPselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table DNPselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table DNPselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table
Pakistan: Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris
In Numbers (ODIs)
Name
Innings
Runs
Average
Strike Rate
Babar Azamselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 98select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 5089select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 59.17select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 89.24select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Fakhar Zamanselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 70select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 3148select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 48.43select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 93.27select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Imam-ul-Haqselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 59select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 2719select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 51.30select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 82.99select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Mohammad Rizwanselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 52select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 1408select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 34.34select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 88.22select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Mohammad Harisselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 4select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 27select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 9select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 103.84select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Abdullah Shafiqueselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 3select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 28select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 9.33select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 66.66select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Tayyab Tahirselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table DNPselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table DNPselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table DNPselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table DNPselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table
The addition of Iyer and Rahul back into the mix will significantly benefit India. With Rohit, Gill, and Kohli as the top three, the presence of Iyer and Rahul will make their batting unit the most lethal in Asia, if not the entire world.
On the other hand, Pakistan boast of having three batters (Babar, Imam, and Fakhar) in the top four latest ODI rankings. However, they lack a middle order batters with sufficient international experience, and as a result, India are an outright winner in this department.
Marks: India - 9/10, Pakistan - 6.5/10
Winner: India
All-rounders India: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur
In Numbers (ODIs)
Name
Matches
Runs
Bat. Average
Wickets
Bowl. Average
Hardik Pandyaselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 77select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 1666select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 33.32select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 73select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 38.06select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Ravindra Jadejaselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 177select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 2560select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 32.82select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 194select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 37.27select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Axar Patelselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 52select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 413select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 18.77select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 58select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 31.48select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Shardul Thakurselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 38select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 315select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 18.52select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 58select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 29.17select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf
In Numbers (ODIs)
Name
Matches
Runs
Bat.Average
Wickets
Bowl. Average
Shadab Khanselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 56select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 631select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 28.68select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 73select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 28.64select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Mohammad Nawazselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 28select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 283select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 17.68select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 37select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 30.94select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Faheem Ashrafselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 31select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 218select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 11.47select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 23select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 46.08select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Iftikhar Ahmedselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 12select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 246select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 41select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 8select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 41.75select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Salman Ali Aghaselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 11select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 337select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 48.14select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 3select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 106select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table
This is an area where Pakistan particularly excel, especially in sub-continental conditions. In Shadab, Iftikhar, Nawaz, and Agha Salman, they have players who can equally contribute with the bat and the ball. Furthermore, there is a good chance that all four will be in the starting XI, which increases their chances of batting very deep.
In contrast, India have two excellent all-around players in Hardik and Ravindra who can single-handedly change the course of any match. The Men in Blue do not, however, have multi-dimensional players like Pakistan do, making the latter a marginally superior force in this regard.
Marks: India - 7/10, Pakistan - 8.5/10
Winner: Pakistan
Bowlers India: Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Prasidh Krishna
In Numbers (ODIs)
Player
Innings
Wickets
Average
Eco. Rate
Jasprit Bumrahselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 72select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 121select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 24.30select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 4.63select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Kuldeep Yadavselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 82select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 141select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 26.55select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 5.16select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Mohammed Sirajselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 24select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 43select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 20.72select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 4.78select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Mohammed Shamiselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 90select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 162select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 25.98select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 5.60select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Prasidh Krishnaselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 14select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 25select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 23.92select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 5.32select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table
Pakistan: Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi
In Numbers (ODIs)
Player
Innings
Wickets
Average
Eco. Rate
Shaheen Shah Afridiselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 35select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 70select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 23.94select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 5.52select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Haris Raufselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 22select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 39select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 28.28select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 5.85select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Naseem Shahselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 8select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 23select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 15.04select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 4.73select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Mohammad Wasim Jnrselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 14select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 24select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 24.20select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 5.32select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table Usama Mirselect insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 6select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 10select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 30.70select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table 5.29select insert above insert below insert right insert left del row del col del table
It's tough to pick just one, eh? Perhaps Pakistan might have a slight advantage unless India had had a Jasprit Bumrah less attack. However, with the returning Bumrah, as well as Siraj, Kuldeep, and Shardul, India have now got a potent attack that have the ability to pick up breakthroughs at regular intervals. Do not forget the performances Siraj and Kuldeep have put in over the past few years.
Still, you can’t keep Pakistan behind when it comes to bowling. They have the world's deadliest pace trio right now, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf. Keep this department as a draw, then let us see how things turn out in the end.
Marks: India - 8/10, Pakistan - 8/10
Winner: Draw
Final Result: India - 24/30, Pakistan - 23/30Winner: India India's predicted 11 for Asia Cup 2023 Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
Pakistan's predicted 11 for Asia Cup 2023 Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
Let us wait to watch the ultimate winner of the battle when the two sides go head-to-head on September 2 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Babar & Rohit having a friendly chat during Asia Cup 2022 (Twitter)
.jpg?type=tq "Rohit Sharma doesn't hold back!")
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