Cricket enthusiasts are gearing up for the much-awaited Asia Cup 2023, scheduled to begin on August 30 with Pakistan and Sri Lanka co-hosting the multi-team event. The tournament’s opening clash will witness Pakistan locking horns with Nepal in Multan. With a remarkable record of seven title victories, Team India once again assumes the role of favorites in the competition.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently unveiled the 17-member squad for the tournament, marking the return of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. However, the exclusion of the seasoned leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal raised eyebrows among cricket circles. Despite his noteworthy performances in ODIs, Chahal found himself left out in favor of Axar Patel.
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Sourav Ganguly offers reasoning for favoring Axar Patel over Yuzvendra Chahal
As the tournament approaches, former BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly has provided insights as to why BCCI must have opted for Axar over Chahal. Ganguly highlighted BCCI’s choice of Axar stemmed from his batting prowess. The ex-India captain characterized the Indian squad as well-balanced and suggested that Chahal remains in contention for a comeback in case of injuries.
“They have picked Axar Patel ahead of Chahal because of his batting. So, I think it’s a good selection. Chahal can still come back if someone gets injured. This is a 17-member squad, two, in any case, will have to move out. I think it’s a very fair side, the right side they have picked. It’s just that they have to play well now,” remarked Ganguly, as quoted by India Today.
Ganguly also took the opportunity to share his perspective on the impending ODI World Cup that India is set to host. The cricketer-turned-administrator emphasized that India’s success in the 2023 ODI World Cup hinges on their batting performance.
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“They will have to bat very well, if they bat well they will win. The World Cup is different, Asia Cup is different and the Australia home series is different. Every tournament depends on how they play at that particular moment. India is a strong side, but they have to play well during the World Cup,” Ganguly added.
