Asia Cup 2018: 15-Member Probable India Squad for the Asia Cup

Reigning champions India will look to continue their good run in upcoming Asia Cup 2018 when they start their campaign on September 18 (Tuesday) at Dubai International Stadium. In a bid to defend their title, the selectors will name a strong 15-member India squad for the fifty-over tournament.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host this tournament commencing from September 15. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will lock horns in the tournament opener at the Dubai International Stadium.

So far, there have been 13 Asia Cup tournaments starting from 1984. India won the first Asia Cup title beating Sri Lanka and since then went on to win another five. On the other hand, Sri Lanka had won five while Pakistan had managed to win only twice.

India has a star-studded line-up. However, it won’t be easy for them this time around. Pakistan had really done well of late and will look to continue their good run in the ODIs. However, Virat Kohli & Co have a well-balanced side packed with quality international stars.

The selectors will look to do permutation combinations with the squad and look for a settled team for the 2019 World Cup. India had tried and tested a lot with the no four spot but is yet to find a suitable option. They will be keen to find a batsman who can score consistently batting at the second drop position.

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On the bowling front, it looks almost settled with Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar sharing the new ball. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav will shoulder the spin responsibilities while Hardik Pandya will come in as the third seamer.

Here is 15-man probable India squad for Asia Cup 2018

SHIKHAR DHAWAN

Shikhar Dhawan has been India’s best opening batsman in the limited-over series for quite some time now. His partnership with Rohit Sharma is one of the best in the business.

Although Dhawan has been out of form recently, he can bounce back his way in important tournaments. He has a good record in previous editions of Asia Cup and will look to live up to his expectations.

ROHIT SHARMA

Rohit Sharma showed some good form in the recently concluded limited-over series against England. The swashbuckling batsman from Mumbai is the best on any given day.

Rohit’s bonding with Dhawan both on and off the field makes them one of the most lethal opening pairs. Rohit Sharma, who has three double-hundred to his name will be keen to make this tournament his own.

VIRAT KOHLI (C)

Virat Kohli, arguably the greatest ODI batsman at present will once again have the job to lead his from the front. An expressive leader, he will look to win this tournament and prepare well for the upcoming 2019 World Cup next year.

Virat Kohli has been in good form with the bat, and the management will expect a lot of runs from his bat.

KL RAHUL

KL Rahul has been the most impressive of all batsmen scoring tons of runs in all the formats. However, Rahul lacked consistency in the recently concluded ODI and T20I series against England.

However, the team management will look to give him an extended run in a bid to settle the no four spot ahead of the 2019 World Cup.

SURESH RAINA

The veteran India cricketer has had a touch-and-go form since making his comeback to the ODI side. However, playing in the subcontinent conditions will make him an obvious choice in the playing XI.

Moreover, his part off-spin will also come in handy for skipper Virat Kohli. Suresh Raina, on the other hand, will look to get some runs under his belt and push his case for the 2019 World Cup next year.

SHREYAS IYER

Shreyas Iyer is one of the most exciting talents to be around the India squad for quite some time now. He has scored some runs but lacked consistency which has been a significant worry for him.

Iyer will look to make this opportunity count if he gets some game time this time in the UAE.

DINESH KARTHIK

Since his last ball heroics in the Nidahas Trophy 2018, Dinesh Karthik has revived his dream of playing for India again. He also had a good IPL leading Kolkata Knight Riders from the front to knockout stages.

Karthik will have to fight it out with some big names for a place in that star-studded middle-order.

MS DHONI (WK)

MS Dhoni attracted a lot of criticism for his slow innings in the last two ODIs against England. Many advocated that he must retire from international cricket. However, he got the backing of his skipper and coach.

Dhoni has a lot of experience behind, and his ability to read match situation is unparallel.

On his wicket-keeping front, MS Dhoni is still one of the best in the business and will be a key component in the 2019 World Cup squad.

HARDIK PANDYA

Hardik Pandya has shown a lot of prospects. However, his inconsistency with both bat and ball puts him miles back. He will have to be in his superlative form and payback to the trust put in by his skipper.

Pandya can clear any grounds on a given day and also can chip in with crucial wickets.

AXAR PATEL

Axar Patel has been in and out of the squad owing to his inconsistency with both bat and ball. However, considering the turning pitches, the tall and lanky all-rounder might make his way to the final 15.

Axar can concentrate on one line and can break partnerships. Moreover, he is also handy with the bat providing depth to the order.

BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR

Bhuvneshwar Kumar will return from injury to lead the bowling attack in the Asia Cup at UAE. He has done a spectacular job with the new ball for India, and the management will hope he continues with his superlative form.

Kumar along with Jasprit Bumrah will be key for India’s success going into this tournament.

JASPRIT BUMRAH

Since making his debut, Jasprit Bumrah didn’t have to look back, as he impressed one and all with his variations and death bowling qualities. Although he is nursing a thumb injury, Bumrah is likely to get fit for the Asia Cup in the UAE.

Bumrah is a key component in this line-up and a lot will depend on how fair in this six-team tournament.

KULDEEP YADAV

Kuldeep Yadav has been in exceptional form in the last one year cementing his place in the white-ball squad. His emergence has led to the disappearance of premier spinners like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja from the scene.

The young tweaker has a lot of variations, and the opposition batsmen will have a tough time trying to figure him out.

YUZVENDRA CHAHAL

The young duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav has set the bar high for the spinners across the world. Chahal has turned out to be a match-winner for Virat Kohli bagging wickets at regular intervals.

However, Chahal struggled to pick wickets in England and will be keen to come back stronger in the 2019 Asia Cup.

UMESH YADAV

Umesh Yadav made a comeback to the ODI after a long gap and straightaway made a mark. He bowled with good pace and hurried the batsmen. Virat Kohli will use him as the third seamer if and when required.

Meanwhile, Umesh will look to get some game time ahead of Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar and present a strong case for himself.