Ajit Agarkar Responds To Shikhar Dhawan’s Comeback After Asia Cup Announcement, Says “Shikhar has been terrific but…”

KL Rahul’s return was confirmed, but with a twist, by India’s top selector, Ajit Agarkar, on Monday when he unveiled the Indian squad for the Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka. Rahul, the former vice-captain, will make a comeback to the team as a wicketkeeper-batsman, according to Agarkar, who spoke with the media alongside captain Rohit Sharma to announce India’s 15-man selection for the continental competition.

Why is Shikhar Dhawan not selected for Team India in the Asia Cup?

Versatile Although the star batter was picked for India’s squad for the continental competition, Rahul is still suffering from pain. Former Indian cricketer Agarkar also made it clear that backup opener and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan had been drafted into the team. As India’s backup batsman, Sanju Samson, a wicketkeeper, will go to Sri Lanka. Agarkar spoke candidly about the future of seasoned opener Shikhar Dhawan during the media event.

Shikhar has played superbly for India

“While Shubman has had an incredible year, Rohit is not a poor player. Ishan Kishan is an additional name. For India, Shikhar has been a fantastic performer. Three men are currently functioning properly, but there is only room for 15. Unfortunately, someone must fit. These are currently our preferred openers, according to Agarkar.

For their concurrent foreign tours in 2022, veteran hitter Dhawan led the second-string Indian team. Shubman and Kishan were able to enhance their selection arguments for the One Day International (ODI) squad in the World Cup year because of Dhawan’s streak of subpar performances. At the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in 2022 versus Bangladesh, the 37-year-old last competed for Team India.

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“Slight setback for KL, but…,”

In addition to Rahul and Kishan, Shreyas Iyer has been reactivated and has joined the Indian team for the Asia Cup. For the most anticipated match between India and Pakistan at the Asia Cup on September 2, Agarakar stated that star batter Rahul is a questionable starter. Rahul is a wicketkeeper-batsman for the team. Ideally, he will be accessible right away in the first game. Both Rahul and Iyer had chronic injuries, but they did a fantastic job of getting healthy. Although it is a minor setback for KL, we believe everything will work out. It goes without saying that he is a key player,” Agarkar added.