Shikhar Dhawan likely to lead Team India in Asian Games 2023; BCCI makes key announcement

After the disappointment in the World Test Championship 2023 Final against Australia, the Indian cricket team will face West Indies in its next challenge. Team India will play a two-match Test series, a three-match ODI series, and a five-match T20I series. Rohit Sharma will once again lead the side in the team's first match in the new cycle of the World Test Championship. The ODI series will also be the Indian team's first series after the announcement of the schedule of the World Cup 2023. 

3 things you need to know

• The Indian cricket team management has included a lot of fresh names in the 16-member Test squad against West Indies 
• Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Mukesh Kumar have been included to play the Test series against WI 
• Big names like Cheteshwar Pujara and Umesh Yadav have been dropped from the Test squad due to poor performance in WTC 2023 Final 

Team India to play first-ever Asian Games 

Apart from playing against West Indies, the Indian men's and women's cricket teams will feature in their first-ever Asian Games in 2023. The Asian Games 2023 will be played in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8. 

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India in its 19th Apex Council meeting made the historic announcement of clearing India's men's and women's cricket teams' participation in the Asian Games 2023. BCCI honorary secretary Jay Shah confirmed the news after the 19th Apex Council meeting in Mumbai. 

BCCI will send both men’s and women’s teams to the Asian Games scheduled to be held in September 2023 at Hangzhou, China. However, considering the overlap of schedule of the Asian Games with ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, BCCI will select from the players not participating in the World Cup to play in the Asian Games.

Shikhar Dhawan likely to lead Team India in Asian Games 2023 

Cricket is known to be a very time taking event and the sport can continue till the last day of the Asian Games 2023. Since several star players are busy in the preparations for the Cricket World Cup 2023, Indian cricket team batsman Shikhar Dhawan is likely to lead Team India in the Asian Games during that time period. 

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Earlier, it had been reported that Shikhar Dhawan shall lead the Indian cricket team in the Asian Games 2023 and young players like Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, and Mukesh Kumar could get to make their debut for team India. It would allow players to feature in the mega Asian event who would be missing the World Cup 2023.