India likely to second second-string Asia Cup squad: report

India is planning to send a second-string squad for this year’s Asia Cup which was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, local media reported .

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) may organise the event in June end in Sri Lanka and top BCCI officials are holding meetings with them to zero in on a window. Times of India reported.

“There’s no other choice. We can’t risk the preparation for the series in England. And cricketers can’t twice undergo quarantine. If the Asia Cup happens, India will have no option but to send a second-string squad,” The Times of India quoted unnamed sources as saying on Monday.

The WTC final, to be held in England, is slated to begin from June 18 but Indian players in all likeliness will stay back for a five-match series against Joe Root’s men to acclimatize to the conditions.

The players will then return home in August for white-ball matches against South Africa and New Zealand at home.

If this scenario plays out, then several first-choice India cricketers will not be available for the Asia Cup should it be held.

Last month, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani had said that the biennial tournament will be postponed to 2023.

“We swapped the 2020 Asia Cup, which was supposed to be held in Sri Lanka, to 2021 in June because of the pandemic situation last year. However, it’s going to clash with the World Test Championship and hence it will now be held in 2023,” Mani had said.