India is facing a grueling schedule this year. While the IPL and the WTC final took center stage early on, the team is now eyeing major wins in the upcoming Asia Cup in September and the home-hosted ODI World Cup. Beyond these two tournaments, India is also gearing up for the quadrennial Asian Games, which will take place between September and October.
Team India quite has a busy cricketing calendar this year. The Indian Premier League (IPL) and World Test Championship (WTC) final headlined the first half of the calendar. Men in Blue will aim for remarkable victories in the remaining half which includes the ODI World Cup at home and the Asia Cup that takes place in September. But these aren’t the only two major trophies at stake for India, the side is also scheduled to take part in the quadrennial Asian Games in September – October this year.
Both the men's and women's teams are set to compete in the Asian Games. According to PTI, the tournament will see the return of a senior player, with reports pointing toward Shikhar Dhawan taking the captaincy. This arrangement would allow the main squad to continue their intensive training for the 2023 World Cup without distraction.
PTI reported on Thursday that Shikhar Dhawan is being considered to lead the India B squad during the Asian Games. Having struggled with consistency in the 50-over format, Dhawan has been out of the main ODI squad since December of last year, with the young talent Shubman Gill stepping in to fill his position.
The left-handed opener hasn't played for India in any format so far this year. However, leading the team wouldn't be a new experience for the 37-year-old; he previously captained the side in a three-match ODI series against New Zealand last year and led a secondary squad against Sri Lanka back in 2021.