Asia Cup 2023: Indian Cricket team playing XI vs Pakistan - Predicted

Team India will face Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023 on September 2 in Pallekele.

Asia Cup 2023 will start on August 30 with a match between Pakistan and Nepal. This will be the 16th edition of the tournament, with India winning the most editions with seven, followed by Sri Lanka (6) and Pakistan (2). Team India will play their first game on September 2 against archrival Pakistan in Pallekele.

Indian selectors have picked almost a full-strength team, and it will be exciting to see all the big Indian players playing together in the first game against Pakistan. KL Rahul will miss the first two games due to a niggle but will be back during the group stages. Here we will talk about India’s best-predicted XI for the opening game against Pakistan.

Here is India’s best Predicted XI for Opening game against Pakistan on September 2

1. Rohit Sharma

Indian captain Rohit Sharma will be the first player to feature on the sheet in Asia Cup 2023. He will be starting for the team and will look to give them a good start. Rohit’s ODI numbers against Pakistan are pretty good, and he will look to carry on. Rohit is currently the highest scorer in the Asia Cup among active players with 745 runs at 46.56 in 21 innings.

2. Ishan Kishan

It will be a surprise choice in the batting order. With no Rahul, Ishan Kishan will be the first-choice wicket- keeper, and his best position to bat is to open the innings. Opening with Rohit will also put the left-hand and right-hand combination at the top. Not to forget, he smashed three consecutive half-centuries in the last three ODI innings against West Indies at the top.

3. Shubman Gill

Ishan, batting at the top, will push Shubman Gill to No. 3. He is another young talent that has impressed everyone in the last year or so. In tests against West Indies, he batted at no. 3, and we might see him again at that position in the first two games. Gill has had some below-par numbers in the last few matches, but he is a great ODI batter. Gill is the No. 4 ranked ODI batter, the highest among Indians.

4. Virat Kohli

No one can replace Virat Kohli at No. 3. But his numbers at No. 4 are also brilliant. We might see him bat one position down in the first few games to give solidity to the middle order. At No. 4, he has scored 1767 runs in 39 ODIs at an incredible average of 55.21, with seven centuries. And if we look at the current Indian squad, he is best for No. 4.

5. Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer’s return to the squad has solved some big issues in the Indian batting order. Iyer was in great form before the injury and played a number of match-winning knocks at No. 4 or 5. In 42 ODIs, he has scored 1631 runs at 46.60 and is fully fit to go. He recently scored 199 runs in a practice match at NCA, proving that he is back in full form.

6. Hardik Pandya

After the top five specialist batters, Hardik Pandya will come in at No. 6. He is among the first-choice players on the team and is the vice-captain as well. Hardik gives an important balance to the team with both the bat and the ball. He was part of India’s winning team for Asia Cup 2016 under MS Dhoni leadership. Hardik has improved as a bowler, which is very important for the team.

7. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja is the leading wicket-taker in the Asia Cup (ODI) among active players with 19 wickets in 14 games. He will be a key player for India with his bowling and batting. The last few years has seen Jadeja evolve as a genuine all-rounder. The pitches in Sri Lanka offer help to spinners, but Jadeja can be difficult for batters.

8. Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur at No. 8 will help India strengthen their batting order. The Mumbai pacer has been the leading wicket-taker for India since the 2019 World Cup. He is also in great form and can be a handy lower-order batter. His batting has improved in recent times, and his ability to break partnerships makes him a valuable asset for the team.

9. Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav’s form has been India’s biggest strength in the last few months. He brings some excellent variations, which make him difficult to read. Kuldeep on Sri Lankan pitches will be pretty dangerous because the team with the best spinners will have an edge. So without a doubt, Kuldeep will be the first-choice spinner in the team.

10. Mohammed Shami

After an almost two-month break, Mohammed Shami has returned to Asia Cup 2023 squad. He has been India’s premium pacer across formats in Bumrah’s absence. And now that Bumrah is back in the side, Shami will be sharing the new ball with him. Shami played in the 2014 Asia Cup and took nine wickets in just four games.

11. Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the squad has surely boosted India’s strength in the bowling department. The ace pacer showed great form in his comeback series against Ireland and won the Man of the Series award. Now, he will be back for ODIs and will be leading the bowling attack. India will hope he gets into rhythm because he can be a match-winner in the Asia Cup in 2023.

India’s Predicted XI vs PAK in Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah

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