The Indian cricket team participating in the Asian Games 2023 will not include key players such as captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain Hardik Pandya, and star batter Virat Kohli, along with other regular players in the One Day International (ODI) format.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made an unprecedented announcement recently. They stated that the men’s and women’s cricket teams will participate in the Asian Games 2023. Hangzhou, China, is the scheduled location for the prestigious event. The events starts from September and ends in October.
In addition, the BCCI provided another clarification. The selection for the men’s team in the Asian Games will not include any cricketers who have been chosen for the World Cup 2023.So India’s first-ever men’s cricket team for the Asian Games will be without regular captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain Hardik Pandya, star batter Virat Kohli, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, keeper-batter KL Rahul, pacers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj among other regulars in ODIs.”
BCCI plans to send both the men’s and women’s teams to the Games. Hangzhou, China, will host the Asian Games in September 2023.
Schedule of the Asian Games
However, considering the overlap of schedule of the Asian Games with ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, BCCI will select from the players not participating in the World Cup to play in the Games,”. BCCI secretary Jay Shah said after the 19th Apex Council meeting that took place in Mumbai on Friday.
Since cricket is a team sport that demands a substantial duration of play, we anticipate that cricket matches will persist until the concluding day of the event.
The busy practice schedule for the ICC World Cup 2023 will prevent India’s top cricketers from participating in the Games. The 50-over tournament will take place in India. It starts from October 5. India play their first match against Australia on October 8. Like the other nine teams taking part in the World Cup, BCCI will name a 15-man squad. India will keep three official reserve players. India’s men’s team for Games, therefore, won’t feature those 18 cricketers picked for the ODI World Cup.