Team India gave their fans a moment to rejoice after they recorded a stunning win over Sri Lanka on Sunday to clinch their eighth Asia Cup title. The Rohit Sharma-led side looked good throughout the tournament as they won every match except one against Bangladesh. In the final match, pacer Mohammed Siraj stole the show with his impressive haul of six wickets and also bagged the Player of the Match award. Besides him, it was spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who was named Player of the Series for his powerful performance.
Kuldeep registered a five-wicket haul against arch-rivals Pakistan, followed by a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka. As Team India now gears up for the upcoming ODIs against Australia ahead of the 2023 World Cup, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar called Kuldeep India’s “trump card”.
“I have spent time with him in the IPL. He is a man with special skills. Every man needs to get confidence and the Indian team management has done that and the results are there. He is a trump card (for us). Most teams think him a challenge. We are all excited about what lies ahead,” Agarkar said at a press conference on Monday.
Talking about the ODIs against Australia, the wrist spinner has been rested for the first two, starting from September 22. He will join the team in the third and final ODI on September 27.
Besides Kuldeep, skipper Rohit Sharma and senior batsman Virat Kohli will also be rested for the first two matches. Seasoned spinner R Ashwin made a comeback to the ODI team with the series and could be called up to the Indian team for the World Cup if Axar Patel does not get fit before the September 28 deadline set by the ICC.
Off-spinner Washington Sundar has also been included in the squad for all three matches and is another reserve option for the World Cup.
Selection for the first two ODIs:KL Rahul (captain), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Selection for third ODI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya, (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel (subject to change) of fitness), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohammed Siraj.
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