Asian Games 2022: India’s strongest predicted XI

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Washington Sundar and Arshdeep Singh. (Photo Source: BCCI)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Indian team for Asian Games 2022 to be played in Hangzhou. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has played only 10 games in the international circuit, will be leading the side. Ahead of the team announcement, Shikhar Dhawan was expected to be the skipper of the team but the selectors snubbed the veteran by not including him in the squad.

As the tournament will be played in the T20 format, the selectors have picked up players who have played cricket in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In the competition, these names will be expected to be at their best and clinch the gold medal for the country. From the 15-member India squad, 11 players are favourites to make a solid India XI in the tournament.

Here is India’s strongest XI for Asian Games 2023

1. Ruturaj Gaikwad (c)

Ruturaj Gaikwad.  (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead the pack in the tournament and his responsibility will be to play his part excellently with his batting and leadership skills. As a batter, he will have to provide fierce starts to the team with his spunky batting style. His T20 International (T20I) batting numbers are not decent so far as the right-handed batter has scored only 135 runs in eight innings of nine matches.

In the T20I match against South Africa in Vishakhapatnam in June 2022, he smashed his maiden half-century. This year, the adept opener looked incredible for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2023, scoring 590 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 147.50.

Talking about his overall batting numbers in the cash-rich league, the 26-year-old has notched up 1797 runs in 52 matches at a strike rate of 135.52. In the Asian Games, Gaikwad will have to lead from the front to help India leave an impact in the tournament.

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal. (Photo Source: Steve Bardens-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Yashasvi Jaiswal will have to support Gaikwad to deliver effective starts to the team. The left-handed batter showcased his mettle in IPL 2023 which paved his way to the Indian team for the upcoming competition in September-October. With 625 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 163.61, Jaiswal ended up as the fifth-leading run-getter in the IPL 2023.

Jaiswal will have to utilise his domestic and IPL experience to outclass opponents in Asian Games 2022. In his domestic career, Jaiswal has played 57 T20 matches, in which he scored 1578 runs in 55 innings at a strike rate of 143.84.

Since 2020, Jaiswal is active for Rajasthan Royals (RR) and in these four years, he has amassed 1172 runs in 37 games at a strike rate of 148.73. The upcoming Asian Games will be a perfect opportunity for him to show his efficiency to the team and reserve his spot in India’s T20I squad.

3. Shivam Dube

Shivam Dube. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Shivam Dube might be seen strengthening India at number three in the tournament. In IPL, he has displayed his hard-hitting abilities several times. Dube is active in the cash-rich league since 2019 and so far, he has piled up 1106 runs in 51 matches at a strike rate of 141.79.

In 2022, he joined CSK and this year, he played a pivotal role in their record-fifth title win. The 30-year-old smashed 418 runs in 16 matches at a sensational strike rate of 158.33. Along with Dube, Rahul Tripathi is also a contender for the number three spot in the team but the latter’s performance is not upto the mark this year, till now.

Dube has proven himself in IPL but his T20I batting figures are not at all impressive. In 13 T20Is, he has scored only 105 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 136.66. As per his reputation in IPL, his dismal international numbers are failing to justify his image.

4. Tilak Varma

Tilak Varma. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Tilak Varma did an excellent job for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the last two IPL seasons (2022 and 2023). In 2022, he made his IPL debut in style, scoring 397 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 131.02, while in 2023, he racked up 343 runs in 11 games at a marvellous strike rate of 164.11.

Considering his good work in the league, the selectors picked him up for Asian Games 2022 and now, he will have to produce effective knocks in the tournament if he gets a chance to play matches. Varma’s performance in T20 cricket is exceptional for more than one year as his batting numbers in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2022-23 are also corroborating.

Playing seven matches of SMAT 2022-23, he scored 297 runs for Hyderabad in six innings at a strike rate of 136.23. Noting his form, it could be said that he will be a perfect batter to reinforce India in the middle order in the competition.

5. Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma (Photo Source : Twitter)

Jitesh Sharma might be given the responsibility to keep wickets and bolster the team with his batting in the middle order. In domestic cricket, he is a renowned name who has delivered a lot of match-winning knocks to Vidarbha with his extraordinary batting skills. In the last two years, a lot of cricket fans started recognising him for his scintillating performance in IPL for Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Since 2022, Jitesh is serving PBKS in IPL, and in the couple of seasons, he has accumulated 543 runs in 26 games at a strike rate of 159.24. In IPL 2023, he scored 309 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 156.06. The 29-year-old has played a few match-finishing knocks for PBKS in his two-year IPL career and has shown his ability to become a finisher.

Along with IPL, his domestic T20 record for Vidarbha is exceptional as well. With 1553 in 64 T20s at a strike rate of 145.82, he is the highest run-scorer for Vidarbha. In the upcoming Asian event, he will look to be at his best and strive to take the bowling attacks to the cleaners.

6. Rinku Singh

Rinku Singh (Photo Source : Twitter)

Rinku Singh’s omission from India’s T20I squad for the West Indies tour drew a lot of ire from the Indian cricket team’s supporters. Fans’ anger could be justified as Rinku has delivered a lot of marvellous performances in IPL and domestic cricket. In IPL 2023, he ended up as the leading run-getter for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), chalking up 474 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 149.52.

During the tournament, he grabbed the attention by impressing a lot of cricket fans with his match-finishing knocks for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in crucial matches. Rinku has made it to India’s 15-member squad for Asian Games 2022 and he will now look forward to helping the side pull off the gold medal.

Unfortunately, Rinku hasn’t got a chance to don the India jersey thus far but the youngster won’t think much about it and will strive to deliver big numbers to the team with his bat. Rinku’s domestic T20 numbers are brilliant as he has 1768 runs in 81 innings of 89 T20s at a strike rate of 140.87.

7. Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar. (Photo Source: BCCI)

Washington Sundar could be given the task to solidify the team as an all-rounder. With the bat, the team management might require Sundar to don the role of a finisher and conclude matches for the side in the competition. While in the bowling department, he could be seen leading the spin attack.

In his six-year international career, Sundar has played 35 T20Is for India, in which he claimed 29 wickets in 33 innings at a brilliant economy of 7.22. His batting numbers aren’t so impressive as he has scored only 107 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 152.85. His IPL and domestic experience will also help him to deliver his best to India in the 2022 Asian Games.

Sundar has racked up 36 wickets in 58 matches of his seven IPL seasons at a thrifty economy of 7.34. In the upcoming event, his role will be vital for India to achieve their aim of winning the gold medal.

8. Mukesh Kumar

Mukesh Kumar. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Mukesh Kumar’s diligence in domestic cricket helped him to get an IPL contract from Delhi Capitals (DC) in December 2022 and now, selectors are not hesitating to show faith in him by providing the speedster a chance in India’s T20I side. In the recently announced India’s team for the 2022 Asian Games, Mukesh got a place in the squad.

In IPL 2023, Mukesh played 10 games and took only seven wickets at an economy of 10.52. Despite witnessing Mukesh’s dismal bowling performance in IPL 2023, selectors picked him up for West Indies T20Is and Asian Games. In Asian Games 2022, Mukesh will have to showcase his best side with the ball and help India clinch the gold medal.

His domestic T20 numbers are decent as he has got 32 wickets for Bengal in 33 matches at an economy of 8.11. The pacer’s performance will be crucial in India’s journey at the marquee event coming ahead.

9. Shivam Mavi

Shivam Mavi (Photo Source: Twitter)

Shivam Mavi will be seen reinforcing India’s pace attack in Asian Games 2022. This year, he got a chance to make his international debut for India in T20Is under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy. So far, he has played six games in India colours, in which he has grabbed seven wickets at an economy of 8.78.

In the domestic circuit, he has picked up 53 wickets for Uttar Pradesh in 52 T20s at an economy of 8.31. The pacer took 10 wickets in seven matches at an economy of 6.64 and became the highest wicket-taker for Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2022-23.

His disciplined performance in SMAT 2022-23 helped him to get a lucrative IPL contract of INR 6 crore from Gujarat Titans (GT). However, during the competition, he warmed benches as the team management didn’t give him a chance to feature in any of the games for GT.

10. Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep Singh (Photo Source: Twitter)

Arshdeep Singh will spearhead India’s bowling attack in the crucial event to be held in September-October. In July 2022, he made his T20I debut against England and since then, he has picked 41 wickets in 26 games at an economy of 8.39. He displayed his talent for India in Asia Cup 2022 and ICC World T20 2022.

This year, he played for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2023 and took 17 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 9.70. With these bowling numbers, he became the highest wicket-taker for Punjab in the season but his expensive economy rate got him a lot of criticism from former stalwarts of the sport.

The speedster has the capability to wreak havoc on batters with his bowling. With his variations such as toe-crushing yorkers, slower ones, bouncers, and cutters, he has impressed the team management and Indian team supporters. In the Asian Games 2022, his task will be to provide early breakthroughs to the team with his excellent bowling skills.

11. Ravi Bishnoi

Ravi Bishnoi (Photo Source: Twitter)

Ravi Bishnoi is a renowned figure in India’s domestic circle and IPL. Riding on his super bowling performances, his domestic team Rajasthan have pocketed a lot of matches. In domestic T20s, he is active since February 2019, and thus far, he has added 101 wickets to his profile in 87 T20s at an economy of 7.17.

The leg-spinner made his IPL debut in 2020 for Punjab Kings (PBKS) and since 2022, he is a vital part of the Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) squad. In his four-year IPL career, Bishnoi has taken 53 wickets in 52 games at an economy of 7.59. This year’s IPL edition was the best for him as he scalped 16 wickets in 15 matches at an economy of 7.74.

In national colours, Bishnoi was first seen in February 2022 in the T20I match between India and West Indies at Eden Gardens. The leggie has hunted 16 batters in 10 T20Is at an economy of 7.08. Relying on his fine bowling numbers, selectors picked him up for Asian Games 2022 and now, his responsibility will be to be effective with the ball.