A 17-player roster for the Asia Cup 2023 was unveiled by the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) on Monday, August 21. Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, and Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, announced to the media that KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who have been absent from the team for more than a year, have returned. There were a few other unexpected withdrawals from the roster, though, and they infuriated Indian supporters all around the country.
Here are three unfortunate players who didn’t make the 2023 Asia Cup roster:
1. Yuzvendra Chahal:
The wristspinner, who previously missed out on a spot in the T20 World Cup 2021 roster, has been one of the most unfortunate Indian team members in recent years. In the IPL 2023, Yuzvendra Chahal was in command, taking 21 wickets from 14 games to set a new record for most wickets taken in a single season (187).
Averaging slightly over 26 with the ball and taking 29 wickets from 18 games, the 33-year-old has had a strong year in ODIs since 2021. The Haryana-born bowler, however, was not included in the squad since he once again did not match the team’s lineup.
2. Sanju Samson:
The wicketkeeper-batter has done everything right in his brief ODI career thus far, compiling 390 runs at a strike rate of 104 from 13 games at an average of 55.71. The athlete, who was born in Trivandrum, has also excelled in the field with his excellent glovework. Samson was forced to be listed as a reserve because the 20-year-old Tilak Varma, who has yet to play an ODI, was selected above him.
When Rishabh Pant was injured, the 28-year-old was seen as India’s top choice for wicketkeeper. Ishan Kishan, though, beat Samson out as a potential replacement due to his outstanding performance in the ODI series against the West Indies. He is therefore once more left out of the 17-person squad.
3. Shikhar Dhawan:
Since the opening batter’s breakthrough season in 2013 with the Champions Trophy, India has relied on him to lead the team in international competitions. Since 2020, Dhawan has been one of India’s most reliable batsmen, averaging over 50 in both 2020 and 2021. The southpaw’s 2022, though, was a forgettable one, as he amassed 688 runs in 22 innings, averaging 34.40 runs per inning and striking out 74.21 percent of the time.
As players like Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan caused havoc at the top of the order, Dhawan’s strike rate turned into the main reason for his dismissal. Despite this, Dhawan’s accomplishments in significant international ODI competitions are difficult to ignore, as well as his extensive background in providing the squad with explosive starts.
Home