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The forthcoming sixteenth edition of the Asia Cup is poised to captivate cricket enthusiasts, set to unfold from August 30 to September 17 across Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Six prominent teams are set to vie for supremacy in this prestigious tournament, organized into two groups, each comprising three teams.
Group A features cricketing giants India, traditional rivals Pakistan and Nepal, setting the stage for intense clashes and fierce rivalries. Meanwhile, in Group B, the defending champions Sri Lanka will lock horns with Afghanistan and Bangladesh, promising an enthralling display of cricketing skills and competition. As per the tournament structure, the top two teams from each group will advance to the Super 4’s stage, leading to a gripping final encounter where the two best-performing teams will vie for the coveted title.
Team India’s journey in the Asia Cup 2023 begins with a highly anticipated match against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2 in Pallekele. However, the cricketing world awaits the announcement of the Men in Blue squad for the tournament, with the BCCI expected to unveil the final lineup on August 20. The delay in squad announcement is attributed to the need for a comprehensive update on the fitness status of key players who are currently nursing injuries.
Ravi Shastri picks India’s premier opening pair
This injury-related uncertainty has cast a shadow over India’s batting order, potentially necessitating adjustments to ensure the team’s preparedness for crucial encounters. Amidst these deliberations, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has recommended the inclusion of Indian wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan as an opener alongside Rohit Sharma. Shastri believes that Kishan’s left-handed presence at the top of the order could offer strategic advantages, drawing parallels with the impact veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan has had on India’s ODI success.
The batting sequence of the Indian team predominantly comprises right-handed batters apart from Ravindra Jadeja, who is the sole left-handed player in the probable eleven. Shubman Gill, Rohit, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya have nearly confirmed their spots in the starting lineup for the Asia Cup 2023. Given the absence of left-handed batter within the top three positions, India might contemplate the idea of having Kishan as the opening batter, which could involve shifting one of the regular openers to a lower batting position.
Speaking on Star Sports, Shastri expressed his preference for having Kishan as an opening batter, while suggesting that other established top-order Indian batter should shift down the batting order.
“At the top of the order, nowhere else. And the others have to be flexible. Between Rohit, Virat, and Shubman Gill, that can be 2, 3, 4. If you have persisted with Ishan Kishan for the last six to eight months, and he’s going to keep wickets, he comes in, in any case. Ishan Kishan has been keeping for the last 15 months. Why go somewhere else?” Shastri said
The 61-year-old also praised the seasoned Indian cricketer Shikhar for his significant contributions to the team. Shastri pointed out that the absence of a left-handed batter in the lineup played a role in India’s defeat in the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup.
“I keep saying that people don’t give the credit that Shikhar Dhawan deserves. You mention the World Cup in 2019 where we lost that semifinal, when we had a brilliant World Cup, he was the missing man there. You know, that made such a big difference – a left-hander at the top of the order, as opposed to three right-handers with the ball swinging away, which allowed teams to get a grip of where to bowl and bowl consistently,” the cricketer-turned-commentator concluded.
