India’s men’s cricket team will not include several key players, including captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain Hardik Pandya, and star batter Virat Kohli, in the upcoming Asian Games.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that none of the cricketers participating in the World Cup will be considered for selection in the Asian Games team.
This decision was made due to the overlap in the schedule of the Asian Games with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, which will be held in September and October in China.
The BCCI announced that both the men’s and women’s teams will participate in the Asian Games, but only players who are not part of the World Cup squad will be eligible for selection.
Consequently, India’s first-ever men’s cricket team for the Asian Games will not feature regular captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain Hardik Pandya, star batter Virat Kohli, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, keeper-batter KL Rahul, pacers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, and other regulars in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
The Asian Games will commence on September 23 and conclude on October 8. Since cricket is a time-consuming team sport, it is expected to be played until the final day of the event.
This makes it impractical for India’s star cricketers, who will be focused on preparing for the ICC World Cup, to participate in the Asian Games.
The 50-over tournament will take place in India starting on October 5, with India’s first match against Australia scheduled for October 8.
Similar to the other participating teams in the World Cup, the BCCI will announce a 15-man squad and designate three official reserve players.
Consequently, the Indian men’s team for the Asian Games will not include the 18 cricketers selected for the ODI World Cup.
It is speculated that Shikhar Dhawan, who is not being considered for a World Cup spot, will likely lead the Indian team in the Asian Games.
Other emerging young players such as Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, and Mukesh Kumar could make their debuts for India in the Asian Games, which will be played in the T20 format.
Players who narrowly miss out on a World Cup berth, like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal, may also be considered for the Asian Games squad.
In contrast to the men’s team, the women’s team will not face such selection issues. A full-strength squad, led by regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur, is set to represent India in the Asian Games.
Notably, the Indian women’s team finished as the silver medalists in their maiden appearance at the Commonwealth Games last year, losing to Australia in the final.
This will be the third time cricket is included in the Asian Games. India did not send their men’s or women’s teams for the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014.
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan’s men’s teams are also expected to encounter similar challenges while selecting their squads for the Asian Games.
In addition to approving India’s participation in the Asian Games, the BCCI made several other significant decisions.
They will establish a policy regarding the participation of players, including retired players, in overseas T20 leagues.
The BCCI will continue with the concept of an Impact Player in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with slight variations. Teams will have to select their playing XI and four substitute players before the toss, and the Impact Player can be utilized at any time during the match.
Additionally, two bouncers per over will be introduced in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to balance the competition between bat and ball.
The BCCI will also work on upgrading stadiums in the country in two phases, focusing on the venues for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 first, followed by the rest of the venues.
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