Asia Cup 2018: India's Predicted XI
The Asia Cup is just 2 days away and Team India will be looking to put the disappointment of the English tour behind them by lifting the trophy. But with Virat Kohli given a rest, Rohit Sharma will be leading the Indian side in the United Arab Emirates.
A lot of prominent names will be missing in the squad as the team will be looking to use this opportunity to prepare for the World Cup next year. Thus names like Manish Pandey and Ambati Rayudu will vying for a place in the team, while stars like Ajinkya Rahane and Suresh Raina will be sitting out at home.
Let's take a look at how Team India will line up in a few days time as they try to win the Asia Cup.
Openers: Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan
While consistency issues remain with both these batsmen, they will surely be the preferred opening pair for Team India when the Asia Cup comes around. This partnership has served India well for the past few years and in the absence of Kohli, they will be expected to put some big runs on the board if India are to win.
Sharma has always been regarded as one of the most talented batsmen in Indian history but for some reason, he has not been able to find the consistency to become one of the game's all-time greats. While he does have bad games here and there, on his day, there is no better batsman in cricket.
Dhawan will be coming off a terrible tour of England but that should not come in the way of his selection in this tournament. The pitches in UAE will be completely different from the ones in England and will be much more suited to Dhawan's style of play.
A lot will be expected from this pairing in the Asia Cup.