KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer To Return For Asia Cup? Indian Cricket Team Coach Rahul Dravid Drops Big Hint

14.08.2023 - 14:03 sports.ndtv.com

The Indian cricket team ended the tour of West Indies on a disappointing note, losing the 5-match T20I series 2-3. The result highlighted many problems in the team, especially in the batting unit as fans and experts shared their concerns ahead of the Aisa Cup and the World Cup.

India head coach Rahul Dravid admitted that mistakes were made and the fact that there remain many gaps in the squad that need to be plugged.

As the Asia Cup remains just a couple of weeks away from its start, Dravid gave a positive piece of news, saying some 'injured stars' are set to make a comeback.

The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer have been out for long. While Bumrah is set to make a comeback on the tour of Ireland, starting August 18, Iyer and Rahul have reportedly begun net practice.

cricket India Cricket Team cup Rahul Dravid Asia Cup Shreyas Iyer Jasprit Bumrah Kl Rahul Ireland India

Team India is squaring off against arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening match of Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Both the teams face each other only during the Asia Cup and World Cup due to the political tension between the two nations. Amid this high-voltage clash, the fans got to witness the quirky and funny side of India head coach Rahul Dravid, who acted in a dry fruit commercial, imitating famous Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan.

Watch: Haris Rauf Breaks Shreyas Iyer's Bat With Express Delivery In India-Pakistan Asia Cup Clash

One of the most talked about points ahead of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 clash was the No. 4 spot. That one batting position has been a hugely debated topic with no settled answer. For the high-octane clash, India went with Shreyas Iyer - who came into the squad after a lengthy injury break. With India down two wickets by the seventh over, Shreyas Iyer had his task cut out. He started patiently and showed no signs of rustiness.

India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2023: Shreyas Iyer Returns, No Mohammed Shami! India's Playing XI Against Pakistan

Shreyas Iyer made a comeback into the Indian cricket team and three fast bowlers were included in the Rohit Sharma-led team's playing XI against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 match on Saturday. The Indian cricket team went with Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj as their pace options as Mohammed Shami missed out. In the spin department, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja were selected. Questions still remain over whether Ishan Kishan or Shreyas Iyer will bat at No. 4 or the team management will look at Virat Kohli. (India vs Pakistan, Live Updates)

"Shows Insecurity...": Ex-India Star Slams Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid Over Mohammed Shami's Exclusion vs Pakistan

Team India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat Pakistan in their opening match of the Asia Cup at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy. At the toss, Rohit announced that star batter Shreyas Iyer returns to the playing XI after recovering from a back injury. Also, there was no place for Mohammed Shami in the XI, with the management opting for Shardul Thakur as the third choice pacer after Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Shardul's addition adds more depth to India's unsettled batting unit.

India's Predicted XI vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2023: With Jasprit Bumrah And Shreyas Iyer Back, This Could Be India's Team

India will be taking on Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2023 camaign opener on Saturday. This will be the first time that the two sides will be facing each other since their meeting in T20 World Cup last year. For the first time in several months, the Rohit Sharma-led side is having a full-strength team. The Indian team finished a camp on the outskirts of Bengaluru in Alur to prepare themselves ahead of the match against Pakistan. On the other hand, the Babar Azam-led side routed Nepal by 238 runs in the opening game of the continental event.

Jasprit Bumrah Won't Be Used At Full Throttle In Asia Cup 2023? Rahul Dravid Drops The "Slowly" Word

The return of Jasprit Bumrah has been the biggest news in Indian cricket in recent times. The ace pacer, once the bowling spearhead of team team, had been out of action by lower back injury and subsequent rehabilitation for the last 11 months. However, his comeback against Ireland in the T20I series had Indian cricket fans going gaga over his return. A big test awaits for him in the form of Asia Cup and the World Cup.