“Asking a little too much” - Ravi Shastri not in favor of KL Rahul featuring in India’s Asia Cup 2023 playing XI 

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri reckons drafting KL Rahul into the playing XI straightaway during the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 won’t be a smart move.

According to Shastri, considering that Rahul hasn’t played any cricket since the thigh injury he picked up during the Indian Premier League 2023, expecting him to come in and perform right away would be asking a little too much.

India are yet to announce their squad for the Asia Cup, which will be played in Sri Lanka and Pakistan from August 30 to September 17. As per reports, the selectors want to give the likes of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who'srecovering from a back injury, enough time to prove their fitness at the National Cricket Academy.

Following his injury during IPL 2023, Rahul also underwent surgery. While he has started batting in the nets recently, Shastri is a bit sceptical about the batter’s return to the playing XI for the Asia Cup. During a discussion on Star Sports, he said:

"See when you're talking of a player (KL Rahul) who's not played and is recovering from injury. To think of him in the XI of the Asia Cup, you're asking a little too much of the player himself.

"And then you're talking keeping. When a guy comes from an injury, the range of movement and things of that sort, so that's a no no.”

Rahul has represented India in 54 ODIs, scoring 1986 runs at an average of 45.13, with five hundreds and 13 fifties. Apart from the 31-year-old, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are the other keeper-batter options India could consider for the Asia Cup.

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“They should be added to the team only if they show good form”- Kaneria on Rahul, Shreyas

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria feels both Shreyas Iyer and Rahul are likely to be picked in India’s squad for the Asia Cup. However, he opined that the form of the two must also be tested before they return from injury.

“KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been practicing at the NCA and are mostly likely going to be included in India’s squad for the upcoming major tournaments.

"However, you cannot bring someone into the team just on the basis of practice. They will have to play matches and should be added to the team only if they show good form there,” Kaneria said on his YouTube channel.

As per reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is expected to announce the Indian squad for the Asia Cup on August 20.