India Asia Cup 2023 squad announced: Tilak Varma picked; KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer return

Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Md. Shami, Md. Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

Sanju Samson: travelling back-up.

India: The Men in Blue come into the tournament ranked third in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings. India won its last ODI series 2-1 against West Indies in the Caribbean after losing to Australia 1-2 at home. The Rohit Sharma-led side started the year on a high - sweeping Sri Lanka and New Zealand 3-0 at home. India has won nine of its 12 matches this year.

India and Pakistan will face off on September 2 in Pallekele in a Group A match. Provided there are no upsets in the group stage, the two teams will meet again in the Super Four stage. If both India and Pakistan finish in the top two of the Super Fours, they will set up a tantalising final - which will be their third meeting in the tournament.

Samson or Tilak Varma, Axar or Chahal? Will get Suryakumar get more chances?

India’s Asia Cup squad is due to be announced shortly.

Four years on from the debate surrounding India’s No. 4 spot before the quadrennial showpiece, the Indian team finds itself in a similar position for the home World Cup. Who are the contenders this time ? Dhruva Prasad finds out in this deep dive - READ

India’s T20I series against Ireland saw Bumrah and Prasidh return to competitive action, while Rahul and Iyer are still regaining full fitness at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson, their backups, failed to capitalize on their opportunities in the format. With limited matches before the World Cup, it remains to be seen if India will opt for a 15-member squad or plan to rotate its players with an extended squad.

Captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid are set to attend the selection meeting headed by Ajit Agarkar.

The 2023 Asia Cup will be played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17. With the ODI World Cup less than two months away, the tournament will serve as a dress rehearsal for Asia’s top cricketing nations.

Most successful team: India is the most successful team in the history of the continental tournament, having won the title seven times. While India clinched top honours in 1984, 1988, 1990-91, 1995, 2010, 2016 and 2018, the Lankans emerged victorious in 1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2014 and 2022. Pakistan has won the title twice (2000, 2012).