End of Dhawan's India career?: 5 major talking points after India announce Asia Cup squad

Asia Cup 2023: Team India has announced their 17-member squad for the upcoming edition of the Asia Cup that will be played in the much-debated 'hybrid' model. Along with Pakistan, Sri Lanka will also host the matches of the much-awaited tournament. The marquee event returns to the 50-over format after a gap of four long years. The last time, the tournament was played in the ODI format, India were crowned champions under the leadership of Rohit Sharma in 2018. With the ODI World Cup less than two months away, all eyes will be on the 'Men in Blue' who are touted to be the strongest contenders of the Asian Championship.

3 things you need to know:

• Hardik Pandya will continue to be Rohit Sharma's deputy
• India start their Asia Cup 2023 campaign against Pakistan on September 2, 2023
• KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer return to the Indian team for Asia Cup 2023

There were a lot of speculations about KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer's inclusion in the Indian team for the Asia Cup and their fitness for the upcoming ODI World Cup, but these murmurs have been put to rest as the LSG skipper and the KKR skipper have been named in the 17-member India squad. There are a few glaring questions about the squad and how it will play an instrumental part in fielding India's strongest playing eleven. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar minced no words and said that the World Cup squad will be built around these 17 players, but let us look at the five major talking points that need to be looked at and analyzed.

1. The end of Shikhar Dhawan?

(Shikhar Dhawan during team India's training session / Image: AP)

The glimmer of hope seems to be dying as far as Shikhar Dhawan's international career is concerned. The left-handed batter, India's best performer in ICC events who was their ODI captain till last year has been left out of the Indian squad yet again and as of now, it looks that his chances of making it to India's World Cup team are extremely slim with Shubman Gill having cemented his place as an ODI opener alongside skipper Rohit Sharma.

ALSO READ | Curious Case Of Shikhar Dhawan And The Snub Of India's Greatest Champion At ICC Events

2. Yuzvendra Chahal misses out

(Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav during team India's practice session / Image: AP)

For the past few years, Chahal has been given more opportunities as compared to Kuldeep, but now, the scales have started to tilt towards Yadav. Chahal undoubtedly has been a stalwart in the spin bowling department and became the highest wicket-taker in the history of the IPL in 2023 but the spinners' dismal IND vs WI T20I series which concluded recently might have seen him out of India's squad. As far as the 2019 ODI World Cup goes, Chahal had picked up 12 wickets from 8 games and Kuldeep picked up 6 wickets from 7 games. Let's not forget that the World Cup will be played on the Indian pitches and Yuzi Chahal's omission is nothing else but shocking.

ALSO READ | Sourav Ganguly Reacts To India's Asia Cup Squad

3. Sanju Samson to travel as a reserve

(Sanju Samson walks off after getting dismissed during the IND vs WI T20I series / Image: AP)

There is a lot of talk about Samson not being given enough opportunities to play, but let's be honest whenever the Rajasthan Royals skipper gets his chance, he completely blows it apart. In the recently concluded India vs West Indies ODI series and the T20I series, Samson blew his chances off and after the return of KL Rahul who has been India's go-to wicketkeeper-batsman in the ODIs for quite sometime now, Samson's chances of making it to the final XI becomes even more tough. If KL Rahul fails to start in the initial few games, the Indian team management still has Ishan Kishan in the ranks who can replace him.

ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma Reveals Main Reason Why Chahal Was Omitted

4. Tilak Varma gets maiden ODI call up

(Tilak Varma celebrates a fall of wicket during IND vs WI T20I series / Image: AP)

Tilak Varma's rise in the Mumbai Indians camp and his journey to the India cap has been nothing short of meteoric. The left-handed batter who is highly praised for his accurate technique and immaculate timing has received his maiden ODI call-up to the Indian team. Varma who debuted for India during their tour to the West Indies scored heavily and has shown enough potential to be India's regular no. 4.

ALSO READ | India's ODI World Cup Squad 'will Be Around THESE Players

5. Big guns return

(Shreyas Iyer during a limited overs match / Image: BCCI)

Much to India's relief, two of their stars KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been named in India's squad for the Asia Cup and they might also go on to play the 2023 ODI World Cup. Iyer and KL Rahul both were ruled out of IPL 2023 and are returning to international cricket after a long gap. KL Rahul will certainly start as India's wicketkeeper-batsman and Shreyas Iyer might be India's permanent answer to the long-debated number 4 spot. A batting position that led to India's downfall in the 2019 ODI World Cup

India's 17-member squad for Asia Cup 2023

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna

Reserve: Sanju Samson