The Indian team selection for the Asia Cup is highly anticipated, with the meeting scheduled for August 19 in Mumbai. There is a strong indication that Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj might not be included in the squad.
During India’s recent tour of England, Gill and Siraj were in excellent form. Gill scored 750 runs, and Siraj took 23 wickets. However, the Asia Cup will be a T20 format played with a white ball. Despite Gill’s IPL performance, the selectors appear hesitant to change the current opening pair. As a result, Gill and Siraj might miss out on the Asia Cup.
A third opener will likely be chosen, with Yashasvi Jaiswal as a frontrunner. The head coach’s decisions will be crucial. If the coach prefers Gill, then the Test captain may be selected.
Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rinku Singh are likely to be selected for the batting lineup. Jitesh Sharma might be the second wicketkeeper. Shreyas Iyer, who is fit, may also be included as an extra batsman. But if the team needs a player who can also bowl, Iyer could be left out. This might lead to the selection of Washington Sundar or Shivam Dube.
Hardik Pandya is expected to be in the squad, providing strength in both batting and bowling. Jasprit Bumrah will likely lead the pace attack, featuring Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana. Only one of Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana might be selected. There is less chance for Mohammed Shami to be picked.
Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Ravi Bishnoi are expected to be selected as spinners. Axar Patel, the T20 team’s vice-captain, could be another option. Washington Sundar, who played in India’s last T20 match, could also be considered for selection.