These 6 players making comeback to Team India for Asia Cup 2023, include KL Rahul To Shreyas Iyer
The BCCI selected India's 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup on Monday (August 21), which will be played in ODI format in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17. The first four matches, including the tournament opener, will be played in Pakistan, with the remaining matches taking place in Sri Lanka.
The Indian squad, on the other hand, will not visit Pakistan and will play all of their matches in Sri Lanka. The Asia Cup is seen as a good warm-up tournament for the ODI World Cup, and the Indian squad, which has won seven trophies in the competition's 14 editions to date, will have high expectations.
BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar has named a full-strength Indian team for the Asia Cup 2023. Big names like Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer have returned from injury, while a few more players who were rested for the West Indies ODIs last month are also making a comeback.
Here are six players who have returned to India's ODI squad and will be seen in action during the Asia Cup 2023:
Jasprit Bumrah: this player has not played an ODI for India since his debut against England at Lord's on July 14, last year. He was away for more than a year and finally returned last week for the opening T20I of India's three-match series against Ireland. He impressed in the first two matches against the European team, picking up two wickets each, and is now named in the ODI squad for the Asia Cup, where he will head the bowling attack.
Rahul KL: KL For the Asia Cup 2023, Rahul is India's first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman. He hasn't played since May 1, 2023, when he received an injury during an IPL match between the Lucknow Super Giants and the Royal Challengers Bangalore, for which he later got surgery. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar stated during the team announcement news conference that KL has a niggle and may miss the first match against Pakistan on September 2, but he is hoping that he would be available for selection from the second or third match onwards.
Shreyas Iyer: Shreyas Iyer has been out with a back ailment since March 2023. He will also make an immediate return in the Asia Cup, where he will most likely bat at No. 4, his favoured batting position in the Men in Blue's 50-over format. Agarkar deemed Iyer totally fit.
Mohammed Siraj: Mohammed Siraj was selected for the West Indies One-Day Internationals last month, but it was disclosed before of the series opener that the world No. 4 ODI bowler had complained of a sore ankle and was recommended to rest by the BCCI medical staff as a precaution. He was relieved of his duties and returned to India.
Mohammed Shami: Shami was most last seen competing in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final. He was rested for the entire West Indies tour and Ireland T20Is, but he is back in the lineup for major competitions like the Asia Cup. Shami last played an ODI for India against Australia in a three-match series at home in March of this year.
Prasidh Krishna: Prasidh Krishna is a member of India's T20I team, which is currently playing Ireland in a three-match series in Dublin. The right-arm pacer excelled with his bowling in the first two games, earning him a spot in the Asia Cup squad. Krishna's last ODI outing for India was on August 20, 2022, against Zimbabwe in Harare.
Tilak Varma is one of 17 players chosen for the Asia Cup 2023, in addition to these six. It is the 20-year-old left-handed batter's first ODI call-up, having previously featured in seven T20Is for India, all of which occurred this month.