India team for Asia Cup 2023: Team India, Afghanistan and Asia Cup 2023 co-host Sri Lanka are yet to announce their respective squads for the tournament. According to the Cricbuzz website, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will likely announce India's Asia Cup 2023 squad on Sunday (August 20). For the unversed, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan have confirmed their teams for the continental tournament. As per the Cricbuzz report, the selection committee desired to see the fitness level of Jasprit Bumrah. The star pacer, making his return after almost an year, will captain a second-string Indian team against Ireland in a three-match IND vs IRE T20I series. The series opener of the T20 series between Ireland and India will be played on Friday (August 18).
"The selection committee is yet to receive information about when the team for the Asia Cup will be finalized. With Dravid and his team back in India, it is anticipated that the selection process will take place in the coming days. Some sources suggest that the selection might happen after the first Twenty 20 in Ireland, where Jasprit Bumrah is set to return to action after nearly 11 months," the Cricbuzz report stated.
The report by Cricbuzz did not mention the specific date for when India's 2023 Asia Cup squad will be announced but it is anticipated that BCCI would most likely make the much-awaited announcement on Sunday during India vs Ireland 2nd T20I match in Dublin. Asia Cup 2023 is slated to kickstart on August 30 in Pakistan's Multan. Team India will begin their campaign in Asia Cup with a match against Pakistan on September 2, in Sri Lanka.
Earlier, it was reported by PTI that the reason behind delay in India's Asia Cup 2023 schedule announcement was selectors wanting to wait for KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who are important for India's ODI World Cup 2023 plans, to attain fitness. If they are declared match-fit by the National Cricket Academy, Asia Cup 2023 matches will help them get some real match practice ahead of the World Cup.