The Indian selection committee, which is headed by Ajit Agarkar, is likely to go for a 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup. This is reportedly part of an effort to consider all possible scenarios ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Interestingly, in a first, BCCI has invited head coach Rahul Dravid to join the selection meeting in New Delhi on August 21 along with captain Rohit Sharma. It should be noted that his predecessors Ravi Shastri and Anil Kumble were not present at the meetings of the selection panel when they were head coaches. However, like the skipper, the coach also doesn't have a right to vote.
India is likely to have a 15-member squad with a couple of standby players for Asia Cup and is expected to retain the same squad for the World Cup as much as possible, reported ESPNCricinfo. The Asian Cricket Council has kept a provision of 17 members in the teams for the Asia Cup and teams like Pakistan and Bangladesh have picked 17-member squads.
"There is a possibility of picking the provisional 15-member squad for the World Cup which needs to be submitted by September 5 but one could make changes as the deadline for final squad is September 27. For Asia Cup, a couple of more players could be picked," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
K.L. Rahul with his thigh injury and Shreyas Iyer with an injured lower back are yet to prove their fitness. However, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh who shared his own Indian squad included Rahul in his dream team. “He (Rahul) is a proven player and if you want to see him in the World Cup squad, this is the right time to bring him back,” he said.
ESPNCricinfo reported that Iyer had batted for 38 overs and fielded for 50 in a warm-up game at the NCA. If both Iyer and Rahul are deemed fit, left-handed batter Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson may not make it to the final 15 berth. In that case, Surykumar Yadav who has better finishing abilities could take the additional batsman's slot.
While Ravichandran Ashwin's name is doing rounds for World Cup, his absence in the West Indies after the Test series is under question. Yuzvendra Chahal could be retained if Ashwin doesn't return.
Meanwhile, Harbhajan, while unveiling his squad on YouTube, said Kohli and Rohit won't play forever as he gave a reality check. “I thought India would win that series easily. But the result has left many shocked and concerned. I was taken aback as well because West Indies, a team that did not make the World Cup, beat us. This indeed is a big achievement for West Indies, but a major concern for India. Yes Kohli and Rohit weren't there, they won't stay for long, but this young brigade that had toured West Indies have a learn a lot from this. I previously said that India can make 2-3 teams, and they still can, but the results are yet to reflect,” he said in the YouTube video. He included three spin-bowlers – Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal – in the team.
Harbhajan's squad includes Rohit Sharma (v), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, KL Rahul and Axar Patel (16th man).
Earlier, former head coach Shastri, ex-chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil and MSK Prasad discussed the likely squad for the Asia Cup on a Star Sports special show. Their heated discourse ended with the omission of injured Rahul and Iyer from the team along with Samson. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav made it to their team along with all-rounders Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur. Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal were the spin bowlers while Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were the pacers in the lineup.
