Young pacer Umran Malik’s unexpected omission from Team India’s Asian Games 2023 squad left many cricket enthusiasts bewildered. However, a silver lining emerged with Shivam Mavi’s unfortunate injury, potentially opening a door for Malik’s inclusion. The official replacement decision rests with the Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) and is anticipated in the upcoming days.
The Indian cricket contingent for the Asian Games is scheduled to assemble in Bangalore for an intensive two-week preparatory camp before their departure to Hangzhou. Interestingly, the selectors had contemplated selecting Yash Thakur, but a prevailing back injury has rendered him unavailable. Thakur showcased his skills representing the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Heading the second-string squad for the Asian Games is Ruturaj Gaikwad, and the men’s T20 event is set to unfold from September 28 to October 8. This timeline coincides with the Men in Blue’s home ODI series against Australia and the World Cup preparations, which prompted the omission of first-team members.
Given the World Cup focus of the coaching staff, National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman will oversee the Asian Games squad, with Sairaj Bahutule responsible for bowling coaching, and Munish Bali serving as the fielding coach. Umran Malik had earned his maiden India call-up after an outstanding 2022 IPL season with the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
However, his recent form raised concerns, leading to his exclusion from the Asia Cup, World Cup, and even the Asian Games roster. In the 2023 IPL, Malik participated in only eight matches, securing five wickets at an economy rate of 10.85. During Team India’s Caribbean tour, he played in two ODIs but failed to claim a wicket while bowling just six overs.
Reports are suggesting that Tilak Varma might also miss out on the Asian Games, as the Team India management aims to keep the young batsman as a reserve player for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Asian Games 2023: Team India squad
Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Shivam Mavi, Shivam Dube, and Prabhsimran Singh
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