Predicting India’s Playing XI for Asia Cup 2023 encounter against Pakistan

With the much-awaited 2023 Asia Cup set to kick off in a few days, fans are set to witness some enthralling cricket action. Although six formidable Asian teams vie to be crowned Asian champions, the blockbuster India-Pakistan match will be grabbing all the attention. The arch-rivals will meet for the first time in Kandy on September 2 as India begins their campaign.

An India-Pakistan match is always a high-profile encounter as the two teams only meet in multi-national tournaments. With the ODI World Cup just around the corner, both the Men in Green and the Men in Blue will aim for a strong outing in the continental event. The Indian Cricket Board recently announced an 18-member squad that combines experience and youth. In this article, let’s take a look at India’s probable Playing XI for the Asia Cup 2023 against Pakistan.

Openers: Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill have been a great pair in recent times so there won’t be much debate about Team India’s opening combination. With the Indian skipper leading from the front with an aggressive start, Gill can anchor the innings to lay a solid foundation at the top of the order. Together, the duo has scored 685 runs in nine ODI innings at an average of 76.11.

Middle order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul

Virat Kohli coming in one down comes as no surprise as the former India captain is synonymous with No. 3 in limited overs cricket. Kohli, the backbone of the Indian batting unit, is expected to play a crucial role against Pakistan. He will be followed by Shreyas Iyer, who has been India’s promising No. 4 batter in the past few years. The 28-year-old has not played a competitive game since suffering a back injury earlier this year. However, one of the most consistent performers has regained his fitness and is expected to continue his form.

At No. 5, wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul is likely to play, though he also has recovered from injury recently. The 32-year-old has been in fine form for India ever since he switched batting position from opener to middle-order.

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja

Vice-captain Hardik Pandya will be India’s pace all-rounder. His firepower at the end of the innings and contribution to the bowling department will be crucial for India to have a balanced side. The Gujarat Titans skipper will be accompanied by premier spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. The southpaw’s fielding prowess can alone shift momentum in India’s favour.

Bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

India’s primary spinner Kuldeep Yadav has troubled Pakistan in the 2019 ODI World Cup. The left-arm chinaman registered figures of 2-32, playing a key role in India’s 89-run victory via DLS. He is currently in excellent form and is expected to continue in the upcoming major tournaments as well. While Jasprit Bumrah leads the pace attack, he will be well supported by Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj.

While Siraj’s raw pace and bounce can get early breakthroughs, Shami can trouble the opponent with his variations. Bumrah’s death-over skills are unmatchable and his ability to handle pressure will be crucial to India’s success in the high-octane clash against Pakistan.