New Delhi: Asia Cup will start in less than a month while just 60 days are left for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 to begin and Team India is still unsure about who would be the perfect fit for the number 4 position.
The reason is the growing list of injuries as Team India continues to battle both on the field and off the field. Due to the players getting injured, the Men In Blue have struggled to find the right fit throughout the year and are now left with no choice but to try different players ahead of the Asia Cup.
As per the latest medical update provided by the BCCI, wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has made significant progress in his rehabilitation and has commenced batting as well as keeping in the nets.
However, he won’t be able to make it to the team this year considering his injuries, as informed by IANS earlier.
Meanwhile, Team India is still busy solving the conundrum of who will bat at number 4 position. The two big names — Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul — seem to be the only choice if they get fit before the showpiece event.
On July 21, BCCI informed that both batsmen have resumed batting in the nets and were currently undergoing strength and fitness drills.
If they get fit, it will be a good headache for the management but if they don’t, then Sanju Samson might come into the picture, who smashed a fifty in India’s win over West Indies in the 3rd ODI.
On a positive note, Jaspirt Bumrah, absent from international matches since September 2022, has been declared fit and is given the captaincy for the Ireland T20Is.
Nonetheless, the fortunes of Team India again took a minor hit with the release of Mohammed Siraj from the ODI squad.
Having said that it is safe to say, that the underlying cause for the Team’s failure is the never-ending list of injured players. Moreover, the absence of players due to injuries also hampers the balance of the squad.
Looking ahead, the onus rests on the team management to strategise the workload management leading up to the World Cup. However, if the spate of injuries persists, one can only speculate about the hurdles that the Men In Blue must overcome in their pursuit of glory during the highly anticipated World Cup 2023.