Experts panel including Ravi Shastri selects India's Asia Cup squad, Tilak Varma gets a nod

The ODI World Cup 2023 is just over a month away and all the ten participating teams are finalising their squads for the mega event. India also have a lot of thinking to do with regards to finalising their team for the grand event as several players are still recovering from injuries and there’s some uncertainty about their availability for the cricketing extravaganza.

Amid widespread discussions on India’s best squad for the World Cup, Star Sports expert panel have selected their squad for fifteen for the Asia Cup 2023 which will begin from August 30. The panel which included former India head coach Ravi Shastri selected Tilak Varma into the squad. Notably, Varma recently made his T20I debut against West Indies and is yet to make his ODI debut. 

Apart from the Varma, the squad includes four spinners namely Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja. Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya are the seam options.

Meanwhile, Shumban Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma make up the batting. The two wicketkeeping options in the squad are Varma and Kishan.

The squad has been picked in a condition if KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer fail to attain full fitness in time for the continental cup. Notably, both batters are going through 50-over game simulations at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru to prove their match fitness. Apart from batting, the duo will also have to keep their fielding fitness at par to withstand the demands of a complete 50-over match.

KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer in a race against time to regain fitness

On the other hand, Rahul, who went through surgery a few months back, will have to show that he’s fit enough to do the job of a wicketkeeper for the entire 50 overs.

Notably, the Asia Cup starts from August 30 and the selection committee will be naming the squad for the continental cup in a few days. Hence, both Iyer and Rahul have little time on hand to regain their match fitness or else India will have a lot of thinking to do to fill up their vacant spots.

Complete squad by Experts: Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah