Former Indian cricket team opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth has voiced his dissatisfaction with the inclusion of KL Rahul in the squad for Asia Cup 2023. This decision raised eyebrows, especially after chief selector Ajit Agarkar hinted at a recent injury concern surrounding the cricketer. During the press conference following the squad announcement, Agarkar revealed that Rahul might miss the first match of the competition, with Sanju Samson being selected as a backup for this very reason. Srikkanth, however, expressed his belief that Rahul should not have been picked if he wasn’t in optimal physical condition, going as far as to label Agarkar and other decision-makers as ‘confused’ due to this selection.

In a candid statement on his YouTube channel ‘Cheeky Cheeka,’ Srikkanth questioned the selection strategy for Asia Cup 2023. He expressed his bewilderment at the inclusion of numerous medium pacers in the squad. Srikkanth highlighted the uncertainty surrounding players’ fitness and the presence of Rahul with a lingering niggle as a prime example of this confusion. According to him, the selection policy should be straightforward – if a player isn’t fit on the day of selection, they should not be considered.

Srikkanth also raised doubts about the selection of pacer Prasidh Krishna for the Asia Cup. He questioned the basis for Krishna’s inclusion, pointing out that he was chosen based on a few four-over spells bowled in Ireland. Moreover, Srikkanth noted that Krishna hadn’t participated in competitive cricket for over a year, casting doubt on whether this was the right call.

The ever-changing landscape of the Indian Cricket Team sees yet another captain. Rohit Sharma’s absence from the first two ODIs against Australia has paved the way for KL Rahul to assume leadership. While Rahul is not the primary choice for captaincy, the absence of Hardik Pandya, who is also rested, leaves him at the helm. The omission of Jasprit Bumrah from captaincy duties has raised eyebrows, and this series serves as a test for KL Rahul’s prospects as a future leader in ODIs, particularly post the World Cup.

Rohit Sharma, at 37, is expected to contemplate relinquishing captaincy in one format after the World Cup. While Hardik Pandya appears to be the natural choice for succession, questions arise regarding his ability to juggle captaincy in both white-ball formats.

Potential Captaincy Options Post Rohit Sharma:

Hardik Pandya (ODI & T20I)
KL Rahul (ODI)
Rishabh Pant (All formats)
Jasprit Bumrah
Shreyas Iyer (All formats)

However, a senior BCCI official has emphasized that no official discussions regarding the captaincy have taken place. According to the official, Rohit Sharma will continue as captain until any issues arise or until a review is deemed necessary post the World Cup.

KL Rahul faced a dip in form, leading to his removal from the vice-captaincy role in the Test team and his exclusion from the Playing XI. He hasn’t featured in T20Is since the T20 World Cup. Nevertheless, he remains a pivotal player for India in ODIs. Despite the presence of Jasprit Bumrah, the selectors surprised many by entrusting Rahul with captaincy responsibilities for the first two ODIs against Australia in Rohit’s absence.

According to the official, “KL was never out of the leadership group. As for why Jasprit was not handed the captaincy, it’s because as a fast bowler, he may not feature in both games and won’t be on the field the whole match. Hence, the need for someone else. KL, being the keeper, will be close to the action and is an automatic choice.”

Indian selectors have made strategic choices for the upcoming ODIs against Australia, opting to rest captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli for the first two matches.

The inclusion of veteran off-spinners and capable lower-order batsmen, R Ashwin and Washington Sundar, suggests they may be in contention for the home World Cup in October.

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav and all-rounder Axar Patel, who were part of the Indian World Cup squad, have been rested due to injury concerns but will return along with other regulars for the third ODI against Australia.

Captain Sharma highlighted the importance of evaluating the team’s bench strength in the bilateral series, especially with the extensive travel demands of the World Cup.

KL Rahul, who recently recovered from an injury, will lead the Indian side in Sharma’s absence.

KL Rahul (captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Tilak Varma, Prasidh Krishna, R Ashwin, Washington Sundar

Kishan was considered the primary choice for the wicketkeeper’s role, not only due to his impressive record of four fifties in his last five one-day innings but also for the left-handed batting dimension he adds to a predominantly right-handed lineup.

However, Rahul’s performances in his first two outings since recovering from a thigh injury have made a compelling case for his inclusion. This has created the “good headache” that chief selector Ajit Agarkar had anticipated when both players were selected for the World Cup squad.

Rahul’s immediate impact was evident when he had just five minutes to prepare for the high-stakes Asia Cup match against Pakistan, stepping in as a last-minute replacement for Shreyas Iyer due to a back spasm. In that match, he played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 111 and forged a crucial partnership with Virat Kohli, setting up India’s comprehensive victory over their arch-rivals.

Rahul’s versatility shone through again when he partnered with Kishan during India’s low-scoring encounter against Sri Lanka, which they won by 41 runs. Moreover, Rahul also took on the wicketkeeping duties for a significant portion of both the Pakistan and Sri Lanka innings.

Speaking about his dual role, Rahul expressed his comfort with it, stating, “I have been keeping wicket for a long time, more than two years now actually. So it’s not new for me, and the team management has told me that this would be my role in the squad – to play in the middle order and keep wicket.”

Primarily known for his versatility as a batter, Rahul revealed that he had dedicated time to enhance his wicketkeeping skills during his injury rehabilitation, saying, “During my recovery, I worked on both aspects. Earlier, I’d work mostly on my batting. But this time I had enough time to work on my keeping. Hopefully, I can do both roles well.”

In a rain-affected Super Four match of the Asia Cup, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul showcased their brilliance by smashing unbeaten centuries, propelling India to a formidable total of 356-2 against Pakistan.

After rain had curtailed the previous day’s play, India resumed at 147-2 in Colombo. Despite another delay due to rain, no overs were lost. Rahul (111) and Kohli (122 off 94 balls) went on to amass an impressive partnership of 233 runs, electrifying Indian fans in the sparsely filled stadium.

Rahul, returning from an injury hiatus, celebrated his century and received a hug from Kohli. Kohli, in turn, crossed the milestone of 13,000 ODI runs after securing his own century. The duo cautiously built on their overnight scores of eight and 17 before launching an aggressive assault on the Pakistan bowlers, accumulating 100 runs in just 102 balls.

India had laid a strong foundation on the previous day with skipper Rohit Sharma and opening partner Shubman Gill both reaching half-centuries, contributing to a 121-run partnership.

Pakistan faced adversity when fast bowler Haris Rauf sustained an injury strain, ruling him out of further participation.

Rahul’s exceptional knock featured 12 fours and two sixes, including an impressive shot over mid-wicket off Shadab Khan.

Kohli concluded the innings with a six down the ground against a bowling attack that lacked bite. Pakistan’s sloppy fielding further compounded their woes. Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab managed to claim one wicket each on the previous day.

The Indian cricket team is grappling with a significant conundrum concerning the selection of the No. 5 batsman in the lineup. KL Rahul has been occupying this role in India’s ODI team for a considerable time. However, the impressive performance of Ishan Kishan in this position has sparked a debate over whether he should retain the spot, potentially leaving Rahul on the bench. The cricketing fraternity holds varying opinions on this matter.

Gautam Gambhir, in a discussion on Star Sports, has strongly cautioned against India making a grave mistake by not selecting Ishan Kishan over KL Rahul in the ODI team. He emphasized that Ishan’s consistency in recent ODI innings, whether as an opener or in the middle order, makes a compelling case for his inclusion.

Gambhir argued that when preparing for a World Cup, the selection should be based on form rather than reputation. He stressed the importance of choosing players who can perform and contribute to winning the World Cup. According to Gambhir, Ishan Kishan has demonstrated the consistency and skill set necessary to be a frontrunner.

During the debate, Gambhir posed a hypothetical scenario to Mohammad Kaif, questioning whether he would advocate for Rahul’s selection if established players like Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma had scored consecutive half-centuries, similar to Ishan Kishan’s performances.

Captain Rohit Sharma remains cautious about Rahul’s immediate place in the playing eleven.

Rohit Sharma, the skipper, refrained from confirming Rahul’s spot in the starting XI, emphasizing the competition for places.

“We have said earlier that problems like these are good, that boys are fighting for spots,” Rohit told reporters in Kandy as World Cup hosts India unveiled their squad. “We will have to see who is in form and who is the opposition to face. All this will be calculated and the best XI will be picked.”

An overview of Rahul’s journey back to fitness and competitive cricket.

The 31-year-old Rahul has been absent from competitive cricket since his injury during the Indian Premier League (IPL) in May. He was initially included in the Asia Cup squad for Sri Lanka but missed the first two matches due to an unrelated niggle, stemming from his original thigh injury.

The possibility of Rahul and Ishan Kishan, who have both excelled as openers, playing together.

Rohit did not rule out the prospect of Rahul and Ishan, both top-order batsmen, sharing the field. “As long as everyone’s available and fit to play, the selection depends on the opposition we play, current form, players who have done well under pressure, those things do matter,” said Rohit. He also lauded Ishan’s recent performance at the Asia Cup, highlighting his batting under pressure and the added dimension of having a left-hander in the lineup.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar sees Rahul’s return as a positive challenge.

Rahul’s return presents a positive “headache” for chief selector Ajit Agarkar. “You see KL’s record in one-day cricket is fantastic. So when he comes there will be a conversation,” Agarkar commented.

An outlook on India’s aspirations in the upcoming 50-over World Cup.

India, fervent about cricket, seeks to end their world title drought, which has persisted since the 2013 Champions Trophy. Their last ODI World Cup victory was on home soil in 2011.

In a significant announcement, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed its 15-member squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023. This selection has stirred some discussions, primarily due to certain unexpected inclusions and exclusions.

One of the eye-catching decisions was the inclusion of wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul, despite his absence from the first two matches of the Asia Cup 2023 due to injury. This move indicates the BCCI’s confidence in his fitness and capabilities.

Tilak Varma, who was part of India’s 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, did not secure a spot in the 15-man World Cup squad. Similarly, Sanju Samson was also left out from the World Cup selection.

Prasidh Krishna, making his comeback to the ODI side after a prolonged injury hiatus, did not make the cut. In contrast, the exceptional fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was included in the squad.

The selection process adhered to the plan laid out by chief selector Ajit Agarkar, who had previously indicated that the World Cup squad would be chosen from the 18-member Asia Cup squad, which included the reserve player Samson.

“We have picked the best possible combination. We have depth in our batting lineup, a variety of spin and other bowling options. Hardik Pandya’s all-round abilities make him a crucial asset for us in the World Cup,” remarked captain Rohit Sharma.

With KL Rahul now declared fully fit, he has rightfully earned his place in the World Cup squad. Additionally, he is expected to join the team for India’s Asia Cup Super 4 matches in Sri Lanka, further strengthening the squad.

The cricket world is buzzing with excitement as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce India’s ODI World Cup 2023 team today. Ajit Agarkar, the chief of the selection committee, took flight to Sri Lanka for crucial discussions with the team management to finalize the squad, as per sources reported by NDTV.

Fans eager to catch a glimpse of the chosen 15-member roster might not encounter significant surprises, considering the recent Asia Cup 2023 squad selection by the BCCI. In a shift from the Asia Cup’s 17-member lineup, designed to provide depth and backup, the World Cup squad will accommodate only 15 players. This constraint resulted in the omission of wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson, who was initially included as insurance for the fit-again KL Rahul.

As two players needed to make way for the reduced World Cup roster, Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna faced the unfortunate axing. Varma, who received his maiden ODI call-up for the Asia Cup, and Krishna, who made a triumphant return following a lengthy injury layoff, are the two members to be excluded.

On a more positive note, the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, who all recently returned from various challenges, have secured their spots in India’s World Cup squad.

In a surprising twist, Yuzvendra Chahal, who didn’t make the cut for the Asia Cup squad, also failed to secure a place in the World Cup lineup. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav, despite his struggles in the 50-over format, has managed to retain his position in the squad.