‘Jab marji drop kar diya’ – Fans react as Shikhar Dhawan likely to lead India in Asian Games

The Asian Games 2023 will be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23rd to October 8th. Following significant discussion, the Indian Cricket Board has approved both the men’s and women’s cricket teams’ participation in the 2019 Asian Games.

They are apprehensive to send India’s first-choice team due to the looming start of the ODI World Cup in early October. As a result, Shikhar Dhawan is expected to return to international cricket, heading a second-string group in this renowned event. Nonetheless, the women’s squad is anticipated to compete with a full-strength lineup.

Shikhar Dhawan likely to lead India in Asian Games

Shikhar Dhawan has been out of the Indian team since last year when the Indian Cricket Board selection committee chose to move on from the left-hander following a string of disappointing performances with the bat. He has captained the Indian side in the interim since 2021 and led the squad in the ODI series in the West Indies last year, which the Men in Blue won.

However, given that he is no longer a member of the main Indian squad, the BCCI may make him captain of the Indian second-tier team for the Asian Games 2023, as he is still a well-known face and a significant name. It is also predicted that a bunch of young Indian players eager to establish a name for themselves, such as Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Jitesh Sharma, might be selected for the Asian Games team, as none of them are currently in preparations for the upcoming World Cup 2023.

The council members will also discuss adopting a regulation governing retired players’ involvement in international leagues. Indian players are now forbidden from participating in international leagues under existing regulations. However, there have been cases where players have prematurely retired to join clubs in other T20 competitions.

The Indian Cricket Board hopes to avoid such scenarios in the future, citing Ambati Rayudu’s recent departure from the Indian Premier League (IPL) to join the Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket. The board is concerned that more players may follow suit and retire early, creating a worrying precedent for the future.

Here’s how fans reacted

https://twitter.com/RahulSh24082787/status/1674646936811638784?s=20

https://twitter.com/midtownndriverr/status/1674643189251158017?s=20

Dream for sacked captain

— You suck (@vijay_m8n) June 30, 2023

https://twitter.com/82off52/status/1674642976730144768?s=20

https://twitter.com/ULTRASAVAGER/status/1674643197660893184?s=20

People confusing Asian Games with Asia Cup. This is the knowledge of average sports fans and we expect to win medals in these multi sport events

— Cricket Blike (@Cricket_blike) June 30, 2023

https://twitter.com/chico91617929/status/1674651640228626434?s=20

Abe bhai asia cup aur asian game me difference hai

— Shaurya45 (@ROVK53) June 30, 2023