Asia Cup 2018: India's ideal template for success in the final
An in-form Indian unit is up against a resurgent Bangladesh side in the final of Asia Cup 2018. India are the most successful team in the tournament, having won it six times – five times in one-day format and once in T20 format.
As they aim to win the Asia Cup for the seventh time, here is the template for India to succeed in the final of the Asia Cup 2018:
#1 Selection of the best Playing XI
The best Playing XI for India in the final would ideally be the one that played against Pakistan on Sunday. That means the five fringe players who came into the team for the dead rubber against Afghanistan should be on the bench once again. In the final, there is no room for experimentation.
India’s best playing XI for the final, beyond any doubt, would be:
1.Rohit Sharma 2. Shikhar Dhawan 3. Ambati Rayadu 4. Dinesh Karthik 5. Kedar Jadhav 6. M.S. Dhoni 7. Ravindra Jadeja 8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar 9. Kuldeep Yadav 10. Yuzvendra Chahal 11. Jasprit Bumrah
#2 Batting first
Should India win the toss, they should look to bat first. Granted, the Dubai pitch has helped the team batting second. However, the wicket has started slowing down as we go deep into the tournament, as evidenced in the tied match between India and Afghanistan.
Besides, in the final, it is always better to put runs on the board and apply scoreboard pressure on the other team. Sharma ought to remember that this is a big game and should not be tempted by the prospect of chasing a target. Moreover, Bangladesh, are not as comfortable chasing as they are in putting runs on the board. Any score over 250 would be an uphill task for them in the final.
#3 Attacking the spinner
Bangladeshi off-break bowler, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, has been successful in containing the batsmen with the new ball as well as taking wickets upfront. He can be a tricky bowler for Dhawan to take on early in the innings. But the Indian skipper, who is a right-hander, should try to go over the top to unsettle the rhythm of Hasan in the powerplay overs.