On Monday (August 07), BCCI announced India's squad for the Asia Cup 2022. The team will be led by Rohit Sharma while senior batters Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have returned to the line-up as was expected in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup 2022, slated to be held in Australia later this year.
Rahul has been named as the vice-captain for the tournament that is set to begin on August 27 in the UAE.
Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra has expressed his disappointment over the exclusion of Mohammad Shami from the line-up. Shami was not included despite the injuries to Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel, who have been ruled out of the tournament.
While talking about the 31-year-old pacer's exclusion on Hotstar, Aakash Chopra remarked that he couldn't understand the decision.
"Why everybody has forgotten about Mohammad Shami is beyond me. He has performed well, his IPL numbers are great. I think if it was a race between Avesh Khan and Mohammad Shami, I will go with Mohammad Shami with my eyes closed. Nothing against Avesh, but I feel that Shami should have been given a chance with the new ball in the absence of a Jasprit Bumrah," he said.
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He also questioned the decision to pick Ravi Bishnoi over Kuldeep Yadav.
"I have nothing against Ravi Bishnoi, but why not Kuldeep Yadav," he questioned.
India had gone short on medium pacers for the competition, according to former India batter Kris Srikkanth, who appeared with Chopra in the show.
"I think we are a medium pacer short. I think in my team Shami would have been there. Also, I still believe that Akshar Patel would have been a strong contender for a spot in the squad," Srikkanth said.
The two wicketkeeper choices in the 15-man squad are Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik. The team comprises Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravi Bishnoi as three specialist spinners. The two all-rounders are Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya.
Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda have also been named in the squad. In Bumrah's absence, India’s pace attack will be led by veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, which also includes a couple of youngsters in Avesh Khan and Arshdeep Singh.
INDIA SQUAD:- Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Chahar, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan
Back-up: Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Akshar Patel.
(HOTSTAR INPUTS)
