No Ishan Kishan! Sanjay Manjrekar picks star-studded India XI for Asia Cup opener vs Pakistan

The cricketing fraternity is eagerly waiting for the commencement of the forthcoming Asia Cup, to be jointly held in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The tournament begins on August 30 in Multan, Pakistan with the Babar Azam-led Men in Green hosting Nepal. The biggest clash is on September 02 when Rohit Sharma's Team India will lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in Pallekele, Sri Lanka.

India, Pakistan and Nepal are placed in Group A whereas the other group comprises Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It is to be noted that India and Pakistan can meet thrice in the upcoming edition, including the final which will be held on September 17 in Colombo. For now, all eyes are on India's opening clash. Ahead of the continental tournament's commencement, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar picked his India XI.

'KL Rahul would.....'

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Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo, "My three seamers would be Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami. Hardik Pandya would be my fourth seamer. My spinners would be Jadeja and Kuldeep. My opener would be Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma. No. 3 batter would be Virat Kohli. KL Rahul would play because he is the keeper."

It is to be noted that when Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selectors named India's squad early this week, the chief selector revealed that Rahul has picked up a niggle while recovering from a thigh injury (the niggle is unrelated to his original injury). Thus, India have kept plenty of options for the middle-order with the inclusion of uncapped player Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadavin the final 17. In addition,Sanju Samson is the sole travelling reserve player.

Manjrekar has included Rahul in the playing XI and feels that either Shreyas Iyer or Varma could get the nod in the middle-order. “Either Shreyas Iyer or Tilak Varma could play [in the middle-order]. I am saying this because in India’s first-choice side XI, the first seven (six) batters, including Hardik Pandya, are all right-handers. Somewhere, India will have to fit in a left-hander in Tilak Varma. This is a problem India has,” Manjrekar added.

Both Iyer and Rahul are returning to the Indian team after long injury layoffs, hence, all eyes will be on the duo in the Asia Cup, which will be followed by the home ODI World Cup, beginning on October 05.

Manjrekar's India XI for Asia Cup clash with Pakistan

Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer/ Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

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

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