India have announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup that’s to be played in the T20 format. There are no real surprises as the T20I series leading to the tournament gave indications of players who were likely to make the cut. The 15 were not going to be too difficult, but the team management might have a headache when they pick the XI for the all-important clash against Pakistan on 28th August.
The choice for the top four seems obvious (fitness permitting), with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul likely to be the openers. Virat Kohli makes a comeback to the team and will mostly slot into his #3 position. India’s best T20I player in recent times, Suryakumar Yadav, will be batting at #4. Hardik Pandya is a certainty, and his batting position will be flexible depending on the match situation.
India will field four frontline bowlers to go with Pandya and most likely, Ravindra Jadeja, as the two all-rounders. That leaves the team with just one vacant batting position and three contenders. In this piece, we look at India’s options for the #5-#6 slot.
Dinesh Karthik
The senior-most member of the team. For someone who played his country’s first-ever T20I to be still in contention for their strongest XI after 15 years is an extraordinary feat. Karthik is also the only player who might get in the playing XI purely based on his specialized skill – death overs batting.
Karthik’s batting in death overs is extraordinary. It’s also a result of the role clarity from team management – first at RCB and now in the Indian team. Currently, there is no one better suited to bat the last 20% of the innings than him. Karthik’s specialized role usually helps him avoid facing his weakness – spin bowling. His T20I strike rate against spin is just 118.4, but he is less likely to face a lot of spin in the final four overs of the innings.
His specialization – the finisher’s role – is also something that restricts him and might reduce his chances to feature in the playing XI. Karthik’s numbers while batting in the middle overs aren’t too flattering. His inclusion could mean shuffling of batters in case his ideal entry point (overs 16-20 – SR: 172.7) isn’t met. But then, is there anyone in India who is better at finishing T20 games?
Rishabh Pant
The only left-hand option in the top five. Rishabh Pant has had a remarkable T20 career, especially in the IPL. However, his returns for India in the shortest format have been, at best, mediocre.
The thing that could go in favour of Pant is him being a left-handed batter. Of the probable top five, he is the only non-right-handed batter. That variety is crucial to upset the rhythm of the opposition bowlers. This variety, which could make his case ahead of someone like Dinesh Karthik, could also go against him.
Against spin, Pant averages just 23.4 in T20I, and his strike rate of 112 is pedestrian. For someone who strikes at 108.7 and 85.7 against spin in ODIs and Tests, respectively, Pant’s T20I game is perplexing. He is more likely to face a few overs of spin if he bats at #5 or in the middle overs. His main competition in the XI will be Karthik, who despite his apparent weakness against spin, makes a better case for himself considering his specialization – batting in death overs.
Deepak Hooda
Deepak Hooda’s form and recent performances elevated him in the pecking order ahead of someone like Shreyas Iyer, who before the IPL, seemed un-droppable. Hooda is a versatile batter, and his flexibility with the batting position allows him to bat anywhere in the lineup.
The biggest advantage of having Hooda in the XI is his secondary skill – off-spin bowling. Hooda can be a handy bowling option, someone who can chip in with an over or two when needed. No other batter apart from Pandya provides this luxury.
Despite this, it would be tough for him to start ahead of Karthik/Pant. However, do not rule him out playing ahead of Ravindra Jadeja, who might seem a certainty in the XI, but whose recent form hasn’t been too encouraging. Combined with Pandya, Hooda can provide the necessary four overs needed out of a fifth bowling option. His better range against different types of bowlers might make him a left-field choice in the XI for the Asia Cup.
India’s top 15 were almost certain, and the squad announcement didn’t surprise most people. There were a few notable omissions in the batting department, like Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. The former has been named as a ‘standby’, but lack of consistency and desired impact have been the reasons behind them missing the Asia Cup flight to the UAE.
India’s squad for Asia Cup
Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan.
Standby: Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Deepak Chahar.