Curated By: Aakash Biswas
Last Updated: August 17, 2023, 20:25 IST
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri (AFP)
Shastri said that he would go with two more all-rounders other than Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja as well as keep Sanju Samson as a backup keeper.
Fans across the subcontinent are bracing themselves for the Asia Cup where they will witness some electrifying encounters over a period of two weeks. The tournament begins with the hosts, Pakistan, squaring off against Nepal in the opener at Multan Cricket Stadium on August 30. But the hype is around the much-awaited clash between arch-rivals India and Babar Azam’s Pakistan. At the same time, the followers of the game are curious to know the Indian squad for the continental championship as the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is yet to make the announcement.
Meanwhile, former India head coach Ravi Shastri and former Indian selectors Sandeep Patil and MSK Prasad featured in a Star Sports show, called Selection Day, where they collectively named a team of 15. They cast a spotlight on the critical elements that can shape the composition of the Indian team with the Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 on the loom.
Shastri said that he would go with two more all-rounders other than Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja as well as keep Sanju Samson as a backup keeper.
“I think to be fair, I will go with both the all-rounders – Axar and Shardul, it gives me an opportunity. And keep Sanju Samson on standby in case something happens to the keeper there, where he can just fly out,” Shastri told Star Sports.
The former India head coach also asserted that the Indian team would need four faster bowlers in the squad.
“For me, the pacers are important. If you need four over there, you already have one all-rounder (Pandya). So, if Bumrah is fit, he walks in. Shami walks in – that’s two. You’ve got Siraj as a backup, and if needed, Shardul can be there. Shardul has done well in the West Indies one-day game; he can be a backup. And then you have room for one more,” he added.
Former chief of selectors Sandeep Patil was in agreement with Shastri, and said, “I will go with what Ravi said because I want to remember 1983. The combination we had, we had many all-rounders in the team, and having all-rounders in the team gives you so much variety, and you can choose anybody.”
(Catch all the action from the Asia Cup 2023, August 30th – September 17th, 2023, 3.00 pm (IST) onwards, LIVE & Exclusive on the Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar)
