Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has shared his analysis of the Indian squad selected for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. While he believes the squad is well-structured, he has expressed concerns about the team’s bowling attack and the absence of a key component.
Gambhir pointed out that India’s bowling attack is primarily seam-heavy, focusing on pacers and left-arm spinners. He stressed the importance of having wrist spinners in the squad, particularly when playing in Indian conditions. He mentioned that either Ravi Bishnoi or Yuzvendra Chahal should have been included to provide variation in the bowling attack.
Speaking on Star Sports, he explained: “It’s a decent squad; in my opinion, a nice squad is picked, but a wrist spinner is needed somewhere. It’s a seam-heavy squad, and I believe either Ravi Bishnoi or Yuzvendra Chahal should have been picked because of the conditions; when you play in India, keeping two wrist spinners in the squad is important. Somewhere it’s a one-dimensional attack, two left-arm spinners, one wrist spinner and other pacers; it’s a seam-heavy attack (four-seamers). I think it’s a place where they could do better if they have selected one out of either leg-spinner.”
Gambhir raised significant concern about the absence of a suitable backup for all-rounder Hardik Pandya. He emphasized that Pandya’s versatility as a pace-bowling all-rounder is crucial for the team. In case Pandya gets injured, no player in the squad can adequately replace him.
Gambhir suggested that the selectors could have considered giving a break to Mohammad Shami, a key pacer in the squad, and included Shivam Dube as a backup for Hardik Pandya. He also highlighted the impressive form of Prasidh Krishna and believed that Krishna’s form could have been leveraged by selecting him for the tournament.
He explained: “I believe you could give a break to Mohammad Shami and the form in which Prasidh Krishna is; you could pick a wrist spinner, and with that one name, you could have considered considering the form in which he is, Shivam Dube because somewhere you need to have a back up for Hardik Pandya. Shardul Thakur cannot be Hardik’s backup.”
Gambhir’s analysis highlights the importance of a balanced and versatile bowling attack in cricket. Including wrist spinners and suitable backup options for key players like Hardik Pandya can enhance the team’s performance and adaptability in different conditions.
Gautam Gambhir’s analysis of India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2023 underscores the significance of having a well-rounded bowling attack and suitable backups for key players. His observations reflect the complexity of squad selection and the efforts to create a balanced team capable of performing at the highest level. As India prepares for the tournament, the team’s strategy and composition will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in their success on the field.
“One minor injury, you will play IPL but not for India”: Kapil Dev’s Scathing Attack At Indian Star Player
In the pace-bowling all-rounder department, India has only picked Hardik Pandya, and god forbid, if he gets injured, no one in the team can replace him. However, Gautam Gambhir pointed out this, saying that Shardul Thakur cannot replace Hardik.
Here’s India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2023:
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, and Sanju Samson (back up).
