Team India has faced a lot of issues in recent times due to injuries to key players. Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Prasidh Krishna have all returned from injury only now. The list does not stop, though. India will not be fielding its full-strength squad at the 2023 ODI World Cup. A few key players will miss the tournament due to injury. Here, we take a look at two players who might have been in the Indian ODI Team for Asia Cup if they were fit.
1) Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant would have been one of the first names on the sheet if he had been fit. However, due to unfortunate events, he is yet to come to full fitness. He would miss the ODI World Cup and that’s a big blow not only for Team India but also for the quality of the tournament.
India is now struggling to find the right combination in the middle-order. There is no proven left-hander while the management might have to rely on KL Rahul for his wicket-keeping duties. All these problems would have not been there had Pant been available for selection.
2) Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar is one of the players who might have been in the Indian ODI Team for the Asia Cup if they were fit. In the peak that he had last year, Patidar showed attributes that would have been perfect for a middle-order batter in India.
However, the player is currently recovering from his heel issue. He also did not play in IPL 2023. India is now trying too many options in the middle order. There is also a chance that Virat Kohli might bat at No.4, which could be a risky move if it does not come off. Had Patidar been there, at least as a backup option, India would have had a solid choice.
