Asian Games 2023: 5 Players who deserved a spot in India's squad

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15-member men's squad and five standby players who will be participating in the upcoming Asian Games 2022 scheduled in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8. The cricket event will be played in the T20I format with all the matches taking place at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field.

With the tournament set to clash with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, the BCCI named a second-string squad led by Ruturaj Gaikwad. Several young players have been added into the team, however, a few have also missed out on the golden opportunity to leave a mark in international cricket. As the young Indian team prepare themselves to represent the country in the mega event, let’s take a look at five players who deserved to be a part of the squad but failed to find a spot:

5 Players who deserved a spot in India's squad:

5. Vijay Shankar

The 32-year-old had a remarkable season in the recent IPL 2023 where he scored 301 runs in ten innings at an average of 37.62 and a strike rate of 160.10. The 32-year-old played a match-winning knock of 51* off 24 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders smashing two fours and five sixes.

Shankar played the role of the finisher for GT throughout the season and scored three half-centuries along with some handy cameos. After failing to find a place in the T20I squad for the West Indies tour, Shankar made a strong case for his selection in the Asian Games squad. However, he failed to impress the selectors and hence wasn’t picked.

The exclusion could prove to be a big dent in Shankar’s confidence who has been eyeing a return to the Indian team since the 2019 ODI World Cup. With the T20 World Cup scheduled next year, the 32-year-old will be eager to up his game as he will face stiff competition from Shardul Thakur for a place in the side.