Team India sweats over two key selection decisions for Asia Cup as squad announcement deadline nears

With less than two months until the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, the Indian team's best XI remains undecided. This isn't the first time the Men in Blue have been unclear of their strongest lineup ahead of a game, but the level of doubt over who is in the probables and who isn't is just through the roof.

The players who are not on the team have received more attention in the run-up to the tournament than those who are.

Injuries have certainly impacted India's preparations for the World Cup and Asia Cup, with three of their first-choice players out for the duration of the build-up. KL Rahul strained his hamstring during the IPL and is on the mend following surgery.

Shreyas Iyer's back ailment worsened during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and he had to have surgery as well. Iyer is also on the mend, but he has a little further to go before he can be considered fully fit.

In the same boat as Iyer was speedster Jasprit Bumrah, whose back problem had already been worsened. Bumrah last played in September and will return to competitive cricket as captain for the Ireland series. His participation in the Asia Cup may be contingent on how he performs in Ireland, but the deadline for squad announcement is August 12, giving the selectors and team management very little leeway.

The Indian team must now make a handful of important decisions ahead of the squad announcement date. With Iyer's participation in both the Asia Cup and the World Cup in doubt, who will fill his spot? would Suryakumar Yadav be retained, as Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma have agreed to give him more chances despite his poor performances, or would Sanju Samson be considered? Samson shown the mindset he bats with and the damage he can do when on song in the third ODI against West Indies, but with Ishan Kishan already in the side and KL Rahul returning, Suryakumar may just edge him out for a spot and Samson may be relegated to the reserves.

Another query concerns the bowling department. Will India keep all four spinners in the team, or will Yuzvendra Chahal make room for an extra pacer? The hitters have already reserved six slots, with vice-captain Hardik Pandya expected to take the seventh.

With the addition of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami, five more berths are secured.

You expect Shardul Thakur to be there, given his aptitude for taking wickets, Bumrah to be there if he is totally fit, and who will fill the final spot? Is it Jaydev Unadkat or Chahal who gets it? Given how important left-armers have proven to be in white-ball cricket in recent years, Chahal may just make the cut despite not playing in any of India's last six ODIs, and Unadkat, like Samson, may be limited in the reserves.

India's likely squad for Asia Cup: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav/Sanju Samson, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal