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'You played him for 15 months. Why go somewhere else?': Shastri's surprise pick as India's keeper for Asia Cup
Shastri does not think Rahul should walk into the XI of an important tournament like the Asia Cup after such a long injury layoff.
Who will be India's openers in the Asia Cup? Will KL Rahul straightaway play in the XI as the first-choice wicketkeeper? The popular answer to the first question is Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. As far as the second question is concerned, the majority are in favour of Rahul, provided the right-hander proves his fitness. But former India head coach Ravi Shastri has a different opinion on both these questions.
Shastri does not think Rahul should walk into the XI of an important tournament like the Asia Cup after such a long injury layoff. He hasn't played any competitive cricket since suffering a thigh injury midway into IPL 2023. The best Rahul and Shreyas Iyer - another player returning from a long injury break - have had is a few match simulations at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
"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 about keeping. When a guy comes from an injury, the range of movement and things of that sort, so that's a no-no," Shastri said on Star Sports.
If not Rahul, who should pick as their first-choice keeper in the Asia Cup XI? Shastri's pick is Ishan Kishan. "If you have persisted with Ishan Kishan for the last six to eight months, and he's going to keep wickets, he comes in, in any case. Ishan Kishan has been keeping for the last 15 months. Why go somewhere else?" he said.
Now comes the tricky part, where should Ishan Kishan bat if he plays over Rahul? With Rahul keeping and slotting in at No.5, it helps the balance of India's ODI XI but if Kishan is to play then he is best suited at the top of the order and Shastri agrees. "Right at the top of the order, nowhere else," Shastri said when asked about Kishan's batting position.
The numbers also suggest that the opening position is the best one for Kishan, who has scored 425 runs in 6 matches as an opener at an average of 70.8 including a double century against Bangladesh. He was also the Player of the Series in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series against the West Indies for returning as the highest run-getter.
Shastri bats for three left-handers in top seven in Asia Cup
The former India all-rounder said Kishan's presence will also give a left-hander to India's top-order. Shastri said there should be at least three left-handers in India's top seven in the Asia Cup. According to him, Kishan and Ravindra Jadeja are sure shots. The other one could be young Tilak Varma, who had a fabulous T20I series against the West Indies.
"Including Jaddu, there should be three left-handers in the top seven. There are three other positions where I think two left-handers have to come in. Now, this is where the selectors' role comes in because they are watching. They know who's the guy who's hot. If Tilak Varma is hot, bring him in. If you think (Yashasvi) Jaiswal is hot, bring him in," Shastri told Star Sports.
The 1983 World Cup winner was "very impressed" with Tilak Varma. "(I am) very, very impressed with Tilak Varma. And, I want a left-hander. If I am looking for a left-hander, I would really look in that direction," he concluded.
But the big question to be asked is, will the Indian team management gamble with someone like Tilak who hasn't played a single ODI yet?
