Virender Sehwag Optimistic About India's Prospects in Asia Cup 2023
Sehwag's Confidence in Team India
New Delhi [India], August 26: Former explosive opener Virender Sehwag expresses strong optimism regarding India's chances in the upcoming Asia Cup. He believes this tournament will be a crucial test for the Indian team as they prepare to defend their T20 World Cup title on home soil next year.
This Asia Cup marks Suryakumar Yadav's debut as captain of the Indian team, having taken over from Rohit Sharma after the latter's retirement from T20s following India's victorious campaign in the previous World Cup.
Under Suryakumar's leadership, India has achieved 12 wins, suffered two losses, and had one tie, leading the T20 world champions to triumph in four consecutive series. Given India's impressive form, Sehwag has high expectations for Suryakumar and his squad.
“We are the reigning world champions, having just clinched the T20 World Cup. I firmly believe we are the strongest team in the Asia Cup, and I am hopeful for our victory,” Sehwag stated in a video shared by the Sony Sports Network.
“Our team is strong, and with Sky leading us, he is an exceptional player in the T20 format. I am confident that under his captaincy, we will perform well, as we have seen significant success when he has led us in the past,” he added.
With the T20 World Cup title defense just six months away, Sehwag views the Asia Cup as an excellent opportunity to assess the team's capabilities ahead of the major event. He believes the tournament, starting on September 9, will help in shaping the squad for the World Cup.
“This Asia Cup can serve as a vital preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup. It’s a chance to evaluate new players and determine who should be included in the squad. There’s no better opportunity for the Indian team to gauge its strength than this tournament,” he remarked.
“I have faith in our T20 selectors and believe we have a solid T20 team. Under Suryakumar Yadav, we have performed admirably in T20 matches, and I trust he will assemble the best team possible. I am optimistic about our chances in the Asia Cup,” he concluded.
India is set to compete in Group A alongside the UAE, Pakistan, and Oman. Their campaign kicks off on September 10 against the UAE, followed by a highly anticipated match against Pakistan on September 14, and they will conclude the group stage against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
India's squad for the Asia Cup includes: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, and Rinku Singh.