“Mumbai lobby at its best”- Fans slam BCCI as 5 Mumbai Indians players get selected for 2023 Asia Cup including Tilak Varma despite never playing ODI

Fans are shocked as 5 MI players selected in the squad with a player who's never played an ODI

“Mumbai lobby at its best”- Fans slam BCCI as 5 Mumbai Indians players get selected for 2023 Asia Cup including Tilak Varma despite never playing ODI

Mumbai Indians (image via cricfit)

On the afternoon of 21st August, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the 17-man squad that will go and play in the upcoming Asia Cup being held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 

While the squad saw the return of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna in the ODI Squad, there were a couple of surprises such as Yuzvendra Chahal getting dropped and Tilak Varma getting selected despite never playing an ODI. 

YouTube video

The Indian Squad also includes 5 Mumbai Indians players, with Captain Rohit Sharma leading the team. MI players like Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishan Kishan. The 2nd most represented IPL team in the Asia Cup squad is Gujarat Titan with Hardik Pandya, Mohd. Shami and Shubman Gill. Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals have 2 players each. 

Confirmed Asia Cup 2023 squad of India:

  • Batsman: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma
  • Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
  • All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar PateL, Shardul Thakur
  • Wicket Keepers: Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul

Related: Jasprit Bumrah to give a TOUGH competition to Hardik Pandya in the race for ODI vice-captaincy

Fans call out Mumbai Lobby for after Tilak Varma gets selected despite never playing an ODI

Tilak Varma batting 1140x815 1
Tilak batting for India against WI (Image via BCCI Twitter)

Fans on X have been shocked with the selection of Tilak Varma, who’s only played 7 T20Is and 0 ODIs getting selected for the Asia Cup. Many called out the BCCI for not selecting Sanju Samson as well. 

Check out their reactions below

https://twitter.com/CSKYash_/status/1693534560095760492?s=20
https://twitter.com/Amanyadav879/status/1693545386307444779?s=20
https://twitter.com/Soham718/status/1693537285218652392?s=20

The Asia Cup begins from 30th August, with India playing their first game on 2nd September against arch rivals Pakistan in the Pallekele Internation Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka.

In case you missed: