Team India will be seen in action on September 2, when they will face archrival Pakistan in their opening game of the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. The selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar announced India’s squad on Monday, which saw the return of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer.
Though Rahul has a small niggle, after some time, India will go into a tournament with an almost full-strength team. The bowling looks good with the return of Jasprit Bumrah. Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami are also back on the team.
On the other hand, the batting order is also looking quite settled if Rahul plays. The coming Asia Cup will be a great opportunity for the Indian team to test their strength ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. That’s what former Indian star Abhishek Nayar feels.
In a discussion on Jio Cinema, Nayar said that India has a chance to test out its strengths and holds an edge in the tournament. Speaking on the announced squad, Nayar said that Tilak Varma’s inclusion is a great decision and that he can be India’s X-factor in the tournament.
Nayar said, “The Asia Cup is the perfect platform to test Tilak Varma. I think he is someone who can fulfill the role that Yuvraj and Raina played for India with both bat and ball. India should try him in the Asia Cup because if he does well, he could be India’s Trump Card or x-factor in the World Cup, whom no one has seen before.”
Team India is placed in Group A with Pakistan and Nepal. Top six teams will play in the Asia Cup, and two teams each from both groups will qualify for Super Four. Meanwhile, the World Cup 2023 will start on October 5, while India will play their first game on October 8 against Australia in Chennai.
