Karachi: India coach Gary Kirsten wants a rotation policy to minimise injuries to players. “We’ve got to rest players and we’ve got to rotate them,” Kirsten said on Tuesday.

India start their Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong on Wednesday, before taking on arch-rivals Pakistan in Group B. Defending champions Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates are in Group A and the top two teams from both groups advance to the round robin Super Four stage. Four-time champions India will be without two of their frontline bowlers, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and Zaheer Khan, who were ruled out of the tournament due to injuries.

“We’ve got to be careful with the bowlers,” Kirsten said. “Some of these guys have played a lot of cricket and we need to make sure that they are physically fresh, fit and ready. We certainly cannot expect every bowler to play throughout the year.”

Kirsten took over as coach in March and is focusing on having a fit - and happy - squad. “We need a rotation system in which, if we rest a bowler and his replacement does well, he still remains the No. 1 bowler and gets his place back.”