Inclusion of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer in Asia Cup squad brings relief
Squad Announcement and World Cup 2023
In a significant development on Monday earlier this week, the BCCI had announced the 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, slated to commence next week across Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The announcement – made through a press conference – was attended by the presence of India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, and BCCI’s chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, who indicated that this selected squad is likely to serve as the core group for the impending World Cup 2023, which follows the continental championship.
Relief for Fans and Team Management
The inclusion of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer in the squad has brought relief to fans and the team management alike. Both players, who were out with injuries, finding a place in the lineup signals positive progress. Agarkar also conveyed that Iyer’s recovery has been complete, while Rahul’s participation in the initial stages of the Asia Cup might be hampered by a minor injury concern.
Controversial Omissions and AB de Villiers’ Statement
However, certain omissions from the list have generated discussions, most notably the absence of Yuzvendra Chahal. The decision to leave out the wrist-spinner has raised questions, with the management’s preference tilting towards Kuldeep Yadav instead. The leg-spinner’s absence turned significant eyebrows with many criticising his non-selection, and AB de Villiers is the latest to join the list.
The former South African captain, who shared the dressing room with Chahal in the Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bangalore, stated that the leg-spinner losing his place in the side was “disappointing.”
“Chahal has been dropped, selectors making their intentions clear who they will be picking. It’s a bit of disappointing drop for me, Yuzi is always very handy and it’s great to have the leg-spinning option in your team. We know how skilful he is,” de Villiers said on his official YouTube channel.
Chahal’s Performance and Asia Cup Schedule
Chahal had remained inconsistent in the fifty-over format for some time and in the recently-concluded ODI series against the West Indies, the leg-spinner didn’t play a single game. In the T20Is, Chahal took five wickets in as many matches at a relatively higher economy rate of 9.05.
The Asia Cup 2023 begins on August 30 with India beginning their campaign on September 2 against arch-rivals Pakistan.
