Asia Cup 2023: Deciphering India's potential lineup and solving the No. 4 puzzle

The highly anticipated squad for the 2023 Asia Cup is scheduled to be unveiled by Ajit Agarkar and Captain Rohit Sharma through a press conference on August 21, 2023. Emerging reports indicate that Jasprit Bumrah is the favoured contender for the vice-captaincy role, while KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are expected to secure spots in the squad. The regional championship is slated to commence on August 30, with the final scheduled for September 17.

As the countdown to the 2023 Asia Cup stands at just nine days, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is poised to disclose India's roster for the tournament. The announcement is anticipated to transpire during a meeting in Delhi, featuring head coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma. With Jasprit Bumrah's comeback in the ongoing T20I series against Ireland and the fitness statuses of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer in consideration, the team management confronts several challenging decisions to assemble the most formidable lineup.

Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja are likely to be picked, it will be interesting to see if Ravi Ashwin makes it into the line up. Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will retain their spot in the squad. Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson will fight it out for the keeper's position. Shubman Gill will partner Rohit Sharma at the top of the order.

Rahul and Iyer's injuries have created a void in India's middle-order, raising uncertainties about the no. 4 position. Despite Rishabh Pant's potential as an option, his extended absence due to a car crash last year has left another gap to fill.

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Shaping India's No. 4 options

With Rahul and Iyer racing against the clock to regain fitness for the continental tournament, the selectors must choose from four contenders: Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Tilak Varma.

Suryakumar Yadav has proven his mettle in T20Is, yet his form in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) hasn't matched his T20 prowess, with an average of 46.02 and 24.33, respectively.

Both Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are likely to find places in the Asia Cup squad, but only one of them might feature as a wicketkeeper-batsman in the XI. While they have previously occupied the no. 4 position, their performances have been less convincing in that role.

Tilak Varma has emerged as a contender for the no. 4 spot after his debut tour of West Indies, gaining endorsements from experts like Sourav Ganguly and Ravi Shastri. If included, he could make a strong case for the position, addressing India's need for a left-handed batter in the middle-order.

Virat Kohli, who batted at no. 4 during India's triumphant 2011 World Cup campaign, could also be a consideration, although he has only occupied the position twice.

While Ishan Kishan, with an ODI double century to his name, appears the more likely candidate, Iyer and Rahul's return to fitness could reshuffle the lineup once they are available.

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