Ajit Agarkar-led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee is yet to announce the Indian squad for 2023 Asia Cup tournament, set to kickstart in just 15 days. Out of the six teams participating in the continental tournament, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have already announced their teams, while India, co-host Sri Lanka and Afghanistan are yet to make squad announcements. It is now being reported that the BCCI is delaying India's 2023 Asia Cup squad announcement as the selection committee wants to give their injured stars KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who are important for India's ODI World Cup 2023 plans, enough time to prove their fitness at NCA for the continental tournament. As per a report in news agency PTI, BCCI might announce India's Asia Cup 2023 squad by the middle or end of this week.
Asia Cup 2023, the six-team ODI tournament, will get underway on August 30. Team India will have a preparatory camp in Bangalore from August 23.
Earlier this year, Shreyas Iyer (lower back) and KL Rahul (thigh) underwent surgeries after sustaining injuries while playing and have been under rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, hoping to attain match-fitness in time for 2023 Asia Cup, more importantly for 2023 ODI World Cup. Rishabh Pant recently shared a video in which both KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer were spotted participating in a match simulation at NCA.
“Keeping 50 overs in Sri Lankan heat would take a toll and NCA can only give him (Rahul) fit certificate if he is able to don the big gloves without any apparent discomfort. Also, they haven’t played anything and the first international game against Pakistan (on September 2) could be a bit too much of a pressure. But then time is of essence," PTI quoted a BCCI source as saying.