The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have announced the squad for the Asia Cup T20I. While most of the mainstays travel to the UAE, Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel miss out due to injury. Bumrah suffers from a niggly back, and Patel’s out with a side strain. Both vital cogs in the bowling unit, their absence weakens an otherwise strong squad. However, if the recent series against West Indies is any indication, India’s depth is enviable.

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Arshdeep Singh’s emergence as a hot-rod pacer bodes well for the Indian bowling attack. Impressing with his pace and ability to bowl yorkers, the Asia Cup will be a sterner test of his qualities. Avesh Khan also benefits from the injuries to Bumrah and Patel, sneaking into a squad he’d have otherwise not made. Bhuvneshwar Kumar brings experience to an otherwise undercooked pace brigade. The selectors have opted to beef up their spin bowling options. In Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin, there exists a mix of leg and off spin.

In the batting department, Virat Kohli returns after opting out of the tours to West Indies and Zimbabwe. KL Rahul’s back too after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia. The ace opener will partner with captain Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. Suryakumar Yadav retains his place in the middle-order, while wicketkeepers Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik were relative shoo-ins for the T20 event. Deepak Hooda’s hard-hitting exploits earn him a ticket to the UAE, ahead of Shreyas Iyer, who remains on standby.

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The selectors and team management have opted to blend youth with experience. Keeping in mind the T20 World Cup in October, the Asia Cup is a dress rehearsal for the showpiece event in Australia.

The Squad: 

Rohit Sharma (C) 
KL Rahul (VC) 
Virat Kohli 
Suryakumar Yadav
Deepak Hooda
Rishabh Pant (wk) 
Dinesh Karthik (wk)
Hardik Pandya
Ravindra Jadeja 
Ravichandran Ashwin 
Yuzvendra Chahal 
Ravi Bishnoi 
Arshdeep Singh
Bhuvneshwar Kumar 
Avesh Khan 

On standby: 

Shreyas Iyer
Axar Patel 
Deepak Chahar