Asia Cup T20 Cricket: Asia Cup 2022 Live – India will kick-off their Asia Cup 2022 by facing against arch-rivals Pakistan on August 28. Lot f players T20 careers will be at stake during the tournament. It will be make or break tournament for Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who are battling for places to be in the T20I team. Kohli has not scored a hundred in three years and will be eyeing big runs, while the off-spinner will try to seal his place as the third spinner in the team. Follow Asia Cup T20 Cricket Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
Virat Kohli, Ashwin, Deepak Hooda, and Dinesh Karthik are the players for whom Asia Cup will make or break their T20 careers. All four players will eye some big runs and wickets and also try to seal their places for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022. Hooda and Karthik will eye that pivotal number six spot in the playing XI.
Asia Cup T20 Cricket: Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and two others for whom ASIA CUP 2022 will be ‘MAKE or BREAK’ tournament for their T20 Career: CHECK OUT
1. Virat Kohli
Former India captain Virat Kohli’s barren run with the bat in hand has become a national debate. The obsession with his 71st century has got everyone right from experts to fans hooked. The 33-year-old has not scored a century for three years. Worst, he failed to cross even 50 in six innings across different formats against England. The legendary cricketer also had a dismal IPL 2022, wherein he scored just 341 runs in 16 matches for RCB. His strike rate was abysmal 115.98.
After IPL 2022, Kohli has played only two T20Is against England. He was rested for South Africa and West Indies T20 series. The right-hand batter is back for the Asia Cup and will be under immense pressure to deliver. The 33-year-old will mostly bat at number three as Shreyas Iyer failed to seal the number three spot. The Asia Cup will be crucial for Kohli as his form and runs with the bat will determine his place in the T20 World Cup.
2. Ravichandran Ashwin
Off-spinner Ashwin will battle it out with Ravi Bishnoi for a place in India’s playing XI for Asia Cup and most probably T20 World Cup 2022. Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja are sure shot starters in the playing XI. That leaves Ashwin fighting for a spot with leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi. Ashwin was part of the West Indies T20 series wherein he picked up three wickets at an economy rate of fewer than 8 runs per over.
He is also pretty handy with bat and can be used as a pinch hitter as well. With Asia Cup 2022, the 34-year-old has a golden chance to make the third spinner his own.
3. Deepak Hooda
India all-rounder Deepak Hooda has grabbed his chances with both hands whenever he has been presented with opportunities. The 27-year-old made his T20I debut against Sir Lanka in 2022, and since then has not looked back. The all-rounder has played nine T20Is and has scored 274 runs at an impressive strike rate of 161.17. He also scored a magnificent hundred against Ireland at number three and showed his wide range of strokes.
The LSG all-rounder also doubles up as an off-spinner and provides the team with ample balance. Hooda is also pretty flexible with his batting position and switch gear seamlessly.
Asia Cup T20 Cricket: Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and two others for whom ASIA CUP 2022 will be ‘MAKE or BREAK’ tournament for their T20 Career: CHECK OUT
4. Dinesh Karthik
India and RCB’s designated finisher Dinesh Karthik has slightly fallen the pecking order due to his low returns with the bat in his last 8 T20I innings. 0, 11, 12, 6, 41, 7, 6, and 12 are his scores against Ireland, England, and West Indies. Barring 41 against West Indies in the first T20I, Karthik has not finished games as he would have wanted. With Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant as the designated team India finishers, the 37-year-old has to perform exceptionally in the Asia Cup as he did for RCB.
The right-hand batter will also not keep wickets and he will play in the team as a pure batter. With Hooda also making the right noises, the Asia Cup will make or break Karthik’s T20 career.
Editors pick
