Asian Games 2023: Best Predicted Playing 11 for Team India

Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to lead side a young side as we look at the best playing 11 for India Cricket Team for Asian Games Hangzhou 2023.  

The Board of Control for Cricket In India on July 14 officially announced that the Indian Men’s and Women’s Cricket teams would be a part of the 19th Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China from September 28 to October 8, 2023. Along with that, BCCI also announced the official squad for Team India. 

The Asian Games have seen Cricket as a part of the tournament two times previously. But this is the first time the Indian Cricket team would be a part of it. It’s an exciting chapter in Indian cricket as a young brigade led by 26-year-old Ruturaj Gaikwad, who isn’t a regular member of the national side, but would be captaining India in a major tournament. 

The last time Team India saw a 26-year-old leading a T20 side in a major tournament was in 2007 when MS Dhoni led the Indian team to their maiden and only T20 World Cup victory. The current team led by young Ruturaj Gaikwad is a major throwback to MS Dhoni’s team, which was also filled with a lot of youngsters. 

The tournament is still two months away, and a lot can happen in these months including a squad revision. However, given the squad we have, it gives us a great opportunity to find out the 11 best players that Team India can put forward. So, let’s look at the best playing 11 for Team India for Asian Games 2023. 

Team India’s Best Predicted Playing 11

Asian Games 2023 – Official Squad for India Cricket Team:

Batters: Rahul Tripathi, Rinku Singh, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Tilak Varma & Yashasvi Jaiswal

WKs: Jitesh Sharma & Prabsimran Singh

All-rounders: Shahbaz Ahmed, Shivam Dube & Washington Sundar

Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Ravi Bishnoi & Shivam Mavi

Openers – Ruturaj Gaikwad (c) & Yashasvi Jaiswal

Team India have selected three openers for Asian Games 2023 in the form of Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Wicket-keeper Prabsimran Singh. With Jitesh Sharma expected to play the role of WK finisher, expect Prabsimran Singh to play the role of backup with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal opening the innings. 

Both Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal have had a fantastic IPL 2023, and seeing them as openers in Asian Games is a sight to behold. With Asian Games 2023 two months away, we should most-likely see this pair also opening in the Ireland T20 series, which will be held in August. 

Middle-order – Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma & Rinku Singh

Coming to the middle-order, the only question that Team India will have is whether to play an all-rounder in the form of Shivam Dube and Shahbaz Ahmed, or to play Rinku Singh as a specialist finisher at number 5 with Rahul Tripathi and Tilak Varma as confirmed players for number 3 and number 4 position.

Well, after a long time, the squad that India have selected has a lot of part-time bowlers. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, and Rinku Singh are all capable of bowling spin. With the matches being played in the T20 format, having 1-2 overs from them shouldn’t be an issue at all. So, expect Rinku Singh to be in the starting 11 ahead of Dube or Shahbaz. 

Finishers – Jitesh Sharma (wk) & Washington Sundar

For the finisher role, Team India will rely on wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma and All-rounder Washington Sundar. Jitesh has been in prime form in Domestic T20 matches, and his performance while playing for Punjab Kings in IPL is proof of that. Whereas Sundar has been donning the role of finisher all-rounder for Team India for quite some time now. 

Bowlers – Ravi Bishnoi, Shivam Mavi, Arshdeep Singh & Mukesh Kumar

Coming to the bowlers, India will have Ravi Bishnoi leading the spin attack and Arshdeep Singh leading the pace attack. This leaves us with two positions to fill with options in the form of Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan. So, which of these two pacers gets in the playing 11?

If we look at the current squad for Team India, Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar have a preference ahead of Shivam Mavi in the 2023 West Indies T20 series. But we talk about potential, Mukesh Kumar and Shivam Mavi have an edge over Avesh Khan. So, expect Shivam Mavi and Mukesh Kumar to start ahead of Avesh Khan for Asian Games 2023. 

Asian Games 2023 – Best Playing 11 for India Cricket Team:

Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Shivam Mavi, Arshdeep Singh & Mukesh Kumar

So, that’s about the best playing 11 for the India Cricket team for Asian Games 2023. Overall, Team India have chosen a near-to-perfect squad for the tournament. Given the quality of players in the squad, it shouldn’t be a surprise if Team India win a Gold medal, but it will definitely be a surprise if we get anything less than a Silver medal.  

Thanks for reading! What’s your take on India Cricket Team playing 11 for Asian Games Hangzhou 2023? Please email your thoughts to business@cricalytics.com

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