India’s Test summer heroes, Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj, may not secure spots in the country’s Asia Cup squad. Despite their stellar performances in the Test series against England, the duo faces the possibility of being excluded when selectors meet in Mumbai on Tuesday (August 19).
Gill scored over 750 runs in the five-match Test series in England and added 650 runs as an opener in the IPL. However, the Asia Cup is a T20 tournament, and selectors are reluctant to break the current opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. While there’s room for an additional opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal is reportedly favored, leaving Gill likely to wait for his chance. Only a strong push from former Indian Test captain Gautam Gambhir could potentially change the scenario.
On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj was the leading wicket-taker in the England series, earning widespread praise for his fiery bowling. However, in the Asia Cup, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace attack, supported by Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, or Harshit Rana. With Hardik Pandya as the pace-bowling all-rounder, Siraj’s inclusion seems challenging. Veteran Mohammed Shami is also not part of the plans.
In the batting department, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rinku Singh are almost certain to feature. A battle for one slot is ongoing among Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, and Shreyas Iyer. Jitesh Sharma is set to be the second wicketkeeper option.
The spin attack will likely include Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and vice-captain Axar Patel, with Washington Sundar as a possible alternative.
The Asia Cup, scheduled from September 9 to 28, could see major surprises in the squad. The potential exclusion of recent stars like Gill and Siraj is sure to spark widespread discussion.
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