The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced that none of the cricketers participating in the upcoming World Cup will be considered for selection in the men’s team for the Asian Games. This means that India’s inaugural men’s cricket team for the Asian Games will be without some key players such as Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj, who are regulars in the One Day Internationals (ODIs).
According to Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, the Indian cricket teams, both men’s and women’s, will participate in the Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China in September 2023. However, due to the overlapping schedule with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, the BCCI will have to select players who are not participating in the World Cup to represent India in the Asian Games.
In another decision taken by the BCCI Apex Council, the Impact Player Rule, which was highly discussed, will be implemented in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy starting from 16 October. The tournament will take place in Hangzhou, China in September-October. With the Asian Games starting on 23 September and ending on 8 October, followed by the ICC World Cup 2023, it becomes impossible for India’s star cricketers to participate in the Asian Games as they will be busy preparing for the World Cup. India’s first match in the World Cup is against Australia on 8 October.
The BCCI will announce a 15-man squad for the Asian Games and will also have three official reserve players. However, none of the 18 cricketers selected for the ODI World Cup 2023 will be a part of the men’s team for the Asian Games. It is likely that Shikhar Dhawan, who is not in consideration for the World Cup, may lead the squad. Other probable cricketers who might be included in the team are Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, and Mukesh Kumar.
On the other hand, the women’s team for the Asian Games will consist of a full-strength squad led by regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur. This will be the third time that cricket will be a part of the Asian Games, as the men’s and women’s teams did not participate in the previous tournaments. This issue is not only faced by India but also by Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
Besides these announcements, there were several other decisions made during the Apex Council meeting. The BCCI will create a policy regarding the participation of its players in overseas T20 leagues. The concept of the Impact Player will continue in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with some variations. Two bouncers per over will be introduced in the upcoming tournament to maintain a balance between bat and ball. Additionally, the BCCI will work towards upgrading stadiums in the country in two phases.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
