The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a significant alteration to the Indian cricket squad for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The change comes as star pacer Shivam Mavi has been ruled out of the tournament due to an unfortunate injury.
Indian cricket team to debut in Asian Games
The Asian Games Men’s Cricket competition is slated to take place from September 28 and will be held in T20 format. All the thrilling encounters are scheduled to unfold at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field, setting the stage for an electrifying spectacle. This will mark the first-ever appearance of the Indian cricket team in the Asian Games and young batting sensation Ruturaj Gaikwad has been entrusted with the captaincy of Men in Blue in the marquee competition.
Previous winners
It’s important to note that the Asian Games has hosted cricket competitions twice in the past. Bangladesh emerged as the first-time champions, while Sri Lanka will take the field to defend their title in the 19th edition. Interestingly, Afghanistan clinched the runner-up position on both occasions.
Also READ: Bangladesh announces squad for ODI series against New Zealand; Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudulla return
BCCI announces Shivam Mavi’s replacement
The announcement of the squad alteration was made by Jay Shah, the Honorary Secretary of the BCCI, through an official press release on the board’s website. Promising youngster Akash Deep has been named as the replacement for the injured Mavi by the selection committee.
Despite this pivotal change, the Indian squad maintains its core members, many of whom have already made a name for themselves in the cricketing world. The team is brimming with youthful energy, including talents like Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, and many more. These players have not only impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but have also left an indelible mark in international cricket in limited appearances.
Team India’s updated squad for 19th Asian Games
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Shivam Dube, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Akash Deep.
Standby list of players: Yash Thakur, Sai Kishore, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Sai Sudarsan.
