Indian Cricket Team 15-member squad for Asia Cup 2023 - picked by experts

Indian Cricket Team will open their Asia Cup 2023 campaign against Pakistan on 2nd September in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Indian cricket team have won the Asia Cup tournament the most number of times and had been the champions the last time the tournament happened in a 50-over format in 2018. With the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 also to be played in a one-day format, expectations are high from the Men in Blue side.

Cricket fans around the world are preparing for an exhilarating competition that promises to highlight the best of Asian cricketing skills as the eagerly awaited Asia Cup 2023 draws near. A special hybrid format will be used for this year’s tournament, with some games taking place in Sri Lanka and some in Pakistan. The tournament will see 13 games and is set to begin on August 30 and end with the championship match on September 17.

Cricket fans are anticipating the Men in Blue’s performance and strategic decisions as Rohit prepares to lead the squad once more. India’s team has been chosen for the next multi-team event, according to the most recent update from Star Sports’ expert panel.

Here’s the Indian Cricket Team squad for the Asia Cup 2023 picked by Star Sports experts:

1. Rohit Sharma (captain)

Rohit Sharma will lead the side and also open the innings for the Indian team. He has been in good form off late and while he didn’t do much in the recent West Indies tour, he had been very good at home and also took the initiative to be aggressive at the top.

His captaincy is his strong suit and now all of his captaincy experience will be on the test as India looks to end their multi-nation tournament title drought in the Asia Cup.

2. Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill is expected to open the innings with Rohit Sharma, despite his ongoing tryst with poor form. He was persona-non-grata in the recent T20I series in West Indies and even in the ODI series before that, he managed only one innings of note.

There will be pressure on Shubman Gill to come well in the Asia Cup as he has competition at the top from Ishan Kishan.

3. Ishan Kishan (wk)

Speaking of Ishan Kishan, the left-hander has been picked by the Star Sports panel as the sole wicket-keeper in the Indian Asia Cup 2023 squad. They haven’t picked KL Rahul, given that he is coming off surgery and probably not match-fit.

Kishan has done brilliantly well at the top, and while he hasn’t given confidence that he can bat in middle overs, given his visible discomfort facing spin, Indian team management can very well shift Shubman Gill to the no.4 spot and have Kishan open the batting as Gill plays spin better.

4. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is an automatic choice in the top order for India and ever since he has regained form, something has changed with his attitude towards the game. He no longer wants to make records and chase numbers, he is now focusing on winning games for India and in process records with follow.

5. Tilak Varma

A surprise pick by the Star Sports panel in the middle order is Tilak Varma, who has been chosen over Shreyas Iyer. Iyer, like Rahul, has been out for some time now, battling back issues, which reportedly have not been corrected 100% despite surgery.

Tilak Varma showed initiative and maturity in the T20I series against West Indies at no.4 and since then clamor has begun for the 20-year-old to be drafted in India’s ODI squad as an answer for the no.4 batter conundrum.

6. Suryakumar Yadav

While Suryakumar Yadav hasn’t exactly set the ODI scene alight with his innovative batting and his returns in the West Indies ODI series were also meagre, his presence and ability to accelerate from the get-go is alone to intimidate the opposition.

His batting against spin in middle overs is a positive for the Indian team and with KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer both not picked by the expert panel, Yadav might get a chance in the India World Cup squad.  

7. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is an automatic choice in the Indian squad, given that he is the lone fast-bowling all-rounder the side has as of now. Pandya’s ability to bowl 7-8 overs gives India the comfort of playing 5 pure bowlers.

His batting abilities are well known and he will perform the role of a finisher with Ravindra Jadeja most likely. He can hammer both the spinners and pacers at will and it will be crucial for India that Panday fires.

8. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja will lead the spin attack for India in the Asia Cup and his batting is just a huge plus for the Men in Blue. He will be dangerous on the slow and spin-friendly Sri Lankan tracks and a nightmare for even the best of the batters.

His fielding is just on another level and he brings tremendous energy to the Indian team on the field.

9. Axar Patel

Axar Patel was picked by the experts as one of the spin all-rounders along with Ravindra Jadeja as his backup. Axar has been the savior for India in many matches and seems like India can even afford to play both the left-arm all-rounders to lengthen their batting lineup.

10. Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur has done well for India in the opportunities he has gotten and his variations on slow and sticky wickets in Sri Lanka might come in handy. He can give a huge contribution with the bat as well and is the best option as a backup for Hardik Pandya.

11. Yuzvendra Chahal

On the big grounds in Sri Lanka, having Yuzvendra Chahal in your bowling lineup is a must, as the leg-spinner can weave web around batters and has the luxury to toss the ball up at will due to long boundaries.

He might not be the first-choice pick as India wants to lengthen their batting lineup, but India can afford to play three spinners, especially in the spin conducive pitches in the Asia Cup.   

12. Kuldeep Yadav

Another automatic choice in ODIs is Kuldeep Yadav. After a couple of years on the sideline due to injury and loss of form, the left-arm wrist spinner has become indispensable for the Indian team in the limited-overs formats.

His ability to bamboozle the best of the batters that too on spin-friendly tracks in Sri Lanka will be a huge advantage for Rohit Sharma, as he will want Kuldeep to chase wickets.

13. Mohammad Shami

The pacer battery of the Indian team in the Asia Cup will be all experience as the experts have picked Mohammad Shami to lead the attack consisting of Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.  

Shami last played for India in the WTC final and was rested for the entire West Indies tour, giving him plenty of time to replenish and come back fresh for the Asia Cup and prepare well for the World Cup.

14. Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj missed the West Indies ODI series after injuring his ankle and was seen at the NCA for his fitness test and rehab. Siraj’s ability to bowl economically and build pressure on other batters gives other bowlers the opportunity to pick wickets and that’s why Siraj is such an asset for India in ODIs.

15. Jasprit Bumrah

A fit Jasprit Bumrah will return to action on the T20I tour of Ireland and is most likely to be picked for the Asia Cup as well. Bumrah needs no introduction and a fully fit pacer will be ready to wreak havoc on opposition batters.

It remains to see how his body reacts to bowling 10 overs in an ODI, but whatever happens, his return to the Indian team will be a huge boost to their chances in the Asia Cup.

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