India ( Common Wealth ) _ With the Asia Cup less than a month away, rumors have surfaced that senior batter KL Rahul may miss the competition in Sri Lanka, while Shreyas Iyer’s participation in the World Cup 2023 appears to be in jeopardy.
Rahul will most likely need additional time to recuperate from his hamstring problem because he had thigh surgery. Iyer also underwent back surgery to treat a stress fracture in his lower back. BCCI did not disclose the date of the duo’s return in the most recent statement.
Both Rahul and Shreyas are unlikely to be match fit for 50-over cricket, never alone in Sri Lanka’s humid conditions. However, the BCCI medical staff believes Rahul can at least be ready for the three-match series against Australia before the World Cup, according to a BCCI source reported by PTI.
In the case of Iyer, he has also begun skills training, although the World Cup will be a toss-up whether Indian management considers putting a fully fit Iyer back on the field. Unlike 50-over cricket, T20 is a simpler vehicle for a comeback. We’re crossing our fingers, the insider added.
According to reports, Rahul has already begun his keeping drills; nevertheless, keeping him for 50 overs may not help him recover from his hamstring injury. Whether it’s Rahul or Iyer, the return of at least one of the key batters has become critical, since India requires a number 5 batter.
In addition, the return of Rishabh Pant and Jaspit Bumrah to the squad is eagerly anticipated. Things are looking up for Team India now that fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has returned to play after missing 10 months due to a stress fracture in his back. The key question now is who will play for Team India in the Asia Cup. The expected team will be as follows.
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Sirajafter.
Team India will compete in the highly anticipated 2023 Asia Cup, playing five T20 matches against the West Indies. India will face its archrival Pakistan in the continental premier tournament. The event will be contested in ODI format this time, as opposed to T20 format in the previous edition. The event will feature 13 matches in total, and it will be hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The six teams competing in the Asia Cup 2023 are India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The competition will be held in September of this year, and the victor will be crowned Asian Champion. Sri Lanka is the defending champion of the Asia Cup 2023, having won the cup in the previous edition. Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup 2022 after defeating Pakistan in the final last year. Sri Lanka will now attempt to defend their championship by outperforming other Asian teams.
