TOURNAMENT REVIEW
Follow UsThe 2023 Emerging Asia Cup had different motives for different countries. Some countries basked in nostalgia, with several household names participating in the competition, while others took the competition as the name suggested.
There remains an excuse for those countries, lack of talents and resources. India’s motive at the 2023 tournament was clear: give the youngsters an opportunity to shine. Yash Dhull spearheaded the young Indian side, whose average age at the competition was just 21 years and 231 days, the lowest in the competition.
But what was more pleasing to the eye was zero international caps and zero players over the age of 23, which really gave the youngsters an opportunity to grow and learn. And the tournament did help massively in that, with the likes of Nishant Sindhu, Manav Suthar, Sai Sudharsan and Abhishek Sharma taking their chances.
If you did miss the tournament and are still curious about how Indian players did, don’t worry we got you covered.
Ones who shone
Nishant Sindhu - 11 wickets @11.81 with an economy of 3.90
Rightly so, Nishant Sindhu won the Player of the Tournament. The left-arm spinner was at his best in the tournament, with a four-wicket haul against Nepal and a five-wicket haul in the second semi-final against Bangladesh A, in a clash that India needed him to step up the most. Taking advantage of the conditions, Sindhu was accurate, threatening to beat both the inside and outside of the batters’ willow.
Also Read: Nishant Sindhu and Manav Suthar proving left is the new right
With eleven wickets, Sindhu ended the tournament as the highest wicket-taker and was possibly the best Indian player on the tour.
Yash Dhull - 234 runs @117 with a strike-rate of 102.18
While Nishant won the Player of the Tournament, had Yash Dhull won the final for India, there were high chances that the accolade would have shifted hands. Dhull started the tournament with a bang, scoring an unbeaten 108 in India’s win over UAE A. He didn’t stop there, scoring a crucial 66 in the second semi-final, which ultimately helped India seal a date in the final with Pakistan.
Dhull wasn’t just scoring runs, his strike-rate of 102.18 also showed that he wasn’t shy to take risks whenever the situation demanded.
Rajvardhan Hangargekar - 10 wickets @13.40 with an economy of 5.82
Hangargekar was a real menace for the opposition with the ball in hand, picking up ten wickets, which is the joint second-most for India in the tournament. The right-arm pacer from Maharashtra was integral in India’s group-stage win over Pakistan, where he picked up figures of 5/42.
Pace is Pace Yaar, right? 😉
— FanCode (@FanCode) July 19, 2023
Hangargekar with two wickets early in the game!#INDvPAK #LIVEonFanCode pic.twitter.com/WCqF7vO4bS
But come to the final stages of the competition, the pacer didn’t have the best of times, including over-stepping in the final, to perhaps cost India some monumental. His raw pace is quite eye-catching and remains his X-factor.
Ones who excited
B Sai Sudharsan - 220 runs @73.33 with a strike-rate of 99.09
Sai Sudharsan’s growth over the last year has been a story in itself. Sudharsan has thus far never messed up his opportunities and has only climbed the ladder ever-so-quickly. After impressing the Tamil Nadu selectors in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), Sudharsan climbed the ladder to represent the state in the red-ball format before getting a break in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
More about Sai Sudharsan's growth here!!!
Not only did he impress everyone during the tournament before leaving a long-lasting impression on the viewers with a stunning 96 off 47 balls against the eventual champions, Chennai Super Kings. In Sri Lanka, the left-hander also scored 220 runs, with a century and a half-century. Being a left-hander, it leaves him in good stead.
Abhishek Sharma - 221 runs @44.20 with a strike-rate of 98.22
While not getting a three-digit score in the tournament, Abhishek Sharma showed his prowess against the various spin units in the competition. But there were a lot of expectations that surrounded the youngster, who just a year ago was considered to be one of the hottest properties in white-ball cricket in the country.
Since then, however, his form has waned away, and with just two fifties in the competition, he still managed to be amongst the top run-scorers in the tournament. But rest assured that the left-hander needs a lot of work, considering how he broke through the scene years ago compared to the others in the squad.
Manav Suthar - 10 wickets @19.50 with an economy rate of 4.20
Yet another left-arm spinner in the country. India’s stocks with left-arm spinners don’t seem to end, with Manav Suthar one of the latest entrants in the club. While India had three left-arm spinners in the XI, all of them possessed various abilities that helped them differentiate themselves. Suthar was more about the line and length, not allowing the right-handers to get away - even one bit.
He was the one who started the downfall of Bangladesh in the second semi-final and almost had his presence felt in all the games in the competition. After being in the Gujarat Titans camp as a net bowler, there are high chances of Suthar getting himself a bid this year.
Ones who need some work
Harshit Rana - seven wickets @22 with an economy rate of 5.50
Harshit Rana was quick and exciting, providing India with plenty of early breakthroughs early on in the tournament. But as the tournament progressed, there was a significant dip in his performances, with just three wickets in the last four clashes. In the opener against UAE A, the pacer picked up four wickets, earning all the plaudits.
But given that he’s still young on the domestic scene, and after his first-full season with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), there are chances that we will see more of Harshit in the future.
Nikin Jose - 122 runs @40.66 with a strike-rate of 75.77
It was Nikin Jose’s first real outing in an Indian atmosphere, and the right-hander batter showed glimpses of real potential. In the final against Pakistan A, the right-handed batter was undone by a debate umpiring decision, but across other games, the Karnataka batter showed some glimpse of real hope.
It doesn’t stop there with Jose, who also happened to be one of India’s safest fielders in the tournament, including picking up three blinders in the semi-final against Bangladesh. Whilst there remains a need for obvious development over his game against high-pace, Jose provided a great trailer of what to expect.
Ones who disappointed
Dhruv Jurel - 31 runs @15.50 with a strike-rate of 114.81
An outstanding debut IPL season meant Dhruv Jurel’s stocks in Indian cricket were at an all-time high. He also had the opportunity to extend that when he was included in the playing XI for the Emerging team in Sri Lanka. While Jurel wasn’t overly required to bat, considering how the top order performed, the right-hander failed to take the opportunity with both hands.
Jurel scored just 31 runs, with his unbeaten 21 against Nepal being his highest score in the series. In both the crucial fixtures - Bangladesh and Pakistan - Jurel only scored 1 and 9. There is still a lot of talent left but the step up needs to be there.
Riyan Parag - 26 runs @13; three wickets @39
Riyan Parag is still only 21, but his wealth of experience in the IPL is perhaps for a lifetime. Parag has already played five full IPL seasons; every season, he is in the limelight for his celebrations. Parag plays this one knock every year, which excites everyone but then doesn’t keep pace with that one knock.
Riyan Parag: The Superstar
— FanCode (@FanCode) July 23, 2023
India back in the game. #INDvPAKonFanCode #ACCMensEmergingTeamsAsiaCup #RiyanParag pic.twitter.com/frN9PwxVbF
Parag’s Asia Cup was similar, the right-hander only scored 26 runs in the entire tournament and picked up just three wickets, averaging 39. By no means is he a finished product but with other talents quickly climbing up the ladder, his time might be running out.
