Captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid are unlikely to tinker with India’s playing XI for their second and final group game in the 2023 Asia Cup at Pallekele Stadium. The only enforced change for India will be the replacement of star bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who returned to Mumbai for the birth of his first child. The question of whether Mohammed Shami or Prasidh Krishna will fill Bumrah’s shoes remains.
India’s upcoming match against Nepal will mark their first international encounter with their neighboring nation. Nepal, having suffered a 238-run defeat in their opening match against Pakistan in Multan, enters the contest as the underdog. Meanwhile, India was forced to share a point with Pakistan in their much-anticipated clash in Pallekele, which was ultimately abandoned due to rain.
The final Group B showdown in Kandy holds tremendous significance for both teams, as the winner secures a spot in the Super Four alongside Pakistan. In the event of another washout, a distinct possibility with an 89 percent chance of precipitation in Pallekele, India will advance with two points accumulated from the group stage.
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Gautam Gambhir, a former India opener, shared his insights ahead of the Nepal match and suggested a reshuffle in India’s batting order. Speaking to Star Sports, Gambhir proposed that India should open with Ishan Kishan, who delivered an impressive performance against Pakistan, scoring 82 off 81 balls in his debut ODI as a No. 5 batsman. Gambhir emphasized the importance of allowing young batters to play in their most comfortable positions.
“I feel Ishan should have opened for India with Shubman Gill. Now if Rohit wants to play at No. 3, then he can, and then Kohli will be at No. 4 or vice versa. You should always allow a youngster to play at his most comfortable position,” Gautam Gambhir asserted. While he acknowledged the established opening partnership of Rohit and Gill, with Kohli usually batting at No. 3 and Shreyas Iyer at 4, Gambhir emphasized Ishan Kishan’s current form, including his ODI double century and three consecutive fifties while opening in the previous tour.
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India’s approach to the Nepal match will be closely watched, as they may consider experimenting with the top order to boost confidence after their struggles against Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Additionally, keeping Ishan Kishan ready as a No. 5 option could be a strategic move, especially considering KL Rahul’s susceptibility to injuries. Reports suggest that Rahul is set to join the Indian team in Sri Lanka soon.
