India Squad For ASIA CUP Announced, Tilak Varma Surprise Selection; Sanju Samson Dropped From 17-Member Squad

Injured KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been included in the India squad for the Asia Cup. Tilak Varma has also been included in the team.

The Indian cricket team squad for the Asia Cup has been announced by the BCCI. There are no major surprises as all the prominent names have secured a place in the team. Rohit Sharma will continue to lead the side while Hardik Pandya has been assigned the duties of the vice-captain.

Shreyas Iyer, who has missed a large chunk of India’s matches this year owing to an injury has returned to the team. KL Rahul has also returned to the squad. Tilak Varma has also been awarded a place in the ODI squad for his consistent show in the T20Is. Sanju Samson has failed to find a place in the team but has been included as the backup player.

The Asia Cup is set to get underway on August 30, with Pakistan taking on Nepal in Multan in the opening clash.

India Squad For The Asia Cup

Openers

Skipper Rohit Sharma will open the innings along with Shubman Gill. Ishan Kishan made full use of the opportunity in the ODI series against West Indies, scoring three back-to-fifties, and can be used as a backup opener. Rohit Sharma had a decent tour to West Indies and the team will need him to fire all cylinders in the Asia Cup. Shubman Gill also showed decent form in the limited-overs series against West Indies, scoring 85 in the third ODI.

Middle-order

India’s middle order will comprise Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Suryakumar Yadav. Virat Kohli will bat at No.3 and Shreyas Iyer will follow him at 4.  KL Rahul is likely to bat at No.5.  Suryakumar Yadav has not been able to replicate his T20I success in ODIs but he has been added to the squad.

All-Rounders

Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel are the all-rounders in the squad. Jadeja and Hardik are certain to start and if the conditions in Sri Lanka are spin-friendly, Axar Patel can also get a game.

Bowlers

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Shami will form a lethal pace attack while Kuldeep Yadav is a specialist spinner.

India Squad For Asia Cup

Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.