Asian Games: Vastrakar comes in for Anjali; Akash Deep for Mavi

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a media advisory late at night on the 16th of September, informing about two changes which are being made to the Indian Men and Women's cricket squads for the upcoming 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. 

In the men’s squad, fast bowler Shivam Mavi, who is currently suffering from a back injury, is replaced by Akash Deep. This is the first time that the pacer who plays for Bengal in the domestic circuit and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, will be a part of the Indian squad.

There has also been an injury concern in the Women’s team, as all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar has been brought in the main squad in place of left-arm pacer Anjali Sarvani, who is suffering from a knee injury. Vastrakar, who was earlier a part of the standby list of players, will strengthen the team as the Indian Women will also be without their captain Harmanpreet Kaur in the first two games. 

Kaur was handed a two-match ban by the ICC after expressing dissatisfaction with the Umpiring in a recent tour to Bangladesh and smashing the stumps. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana will captain the team in her absence.

The Women’s T20 competition in the Asian Games starts from the 19th of September, and India, who have got direct entry into the quarterfinals based on their ICC ranking, will play their first game on the 21st of this month. Meanwhile, the Indian Men will be participating in the T20 competition, which begins on the 28th of September and will go on until the 8th of October. 

The senior Men’s side at the same time will be participating in the ICC Cricket World Cup, which is beginning in Ahmedabad from the 5th of October, and as a result, a second-string side is being sent to take part in the Asian Games.

The cricket games will take place at Zhejiang University of Technology’s Pingfeng Cricket Field. 

India Women squad for 19th Asian Games: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry (wk), Anusha Bareddy, Pooja Vastrakar.

Standby list of players: Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque.

India Men squad for 19th Asian Games: Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul Tripathi, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Shivam Mavi, Shivam Dube, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Akash Deep.

Standby list of players: Yash Thakur, Sai Kishore, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Sai Sudarsan.