Fit-again India batters Iyer and Rahul return for Asia Cup, Chahal dropped
NEW DELHI (AP) — Batters Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul were named in India’s 17-man squad on Monday for the Asia Cup after recovering from injury.
India will play all its games in the Asia Cup, which starts on Aug. 30, in Sri Lanka after refusing to travel to Pakistan due to political tensions between the two countries.
Pakistan will host four matches, including one in the Super 4, while nine games will be played in Sri Lanka, including the final on Sept. 17.
India's squad does not feature an off-break bowler while the selectors dropped leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and included Kuldeep Yadav as the only wrist spinner.
Rahul and Iyer have gone through rehabilitation for several weeks following thigh and back injuries respectively.
Rahul, who also keeps wicket, hasn’t played competitively since May while Iyer has been out of international cricket since March.
Uncapped left-handed batter Tilak Varma was rewarded on Monday for his impressive displays against the West Indies in the recent Twenty20 series.
“In the West Indies we saw some real promise in terms of not just performances but temperament,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar said about Varma. “It gives us an opportunity to take him with the team, give him some more exposure.
"Fortunately we can take 17, it’ll be 15 at the World Cup. So, when the time comes we’ll take that decision, but at the moment it at least gives the coach and captain an opportunity to have him with the squad.”
The selectors preferred Ishan Kishan as the second wicketkeeper and left out Sanju Samson, who will travel as a reserve.
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Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Prasidh Krishna. Reserve: Sanju Samson.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
