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Asia Cup 2018: The Key Player For Each Team

Gloucestershire v Sussex Sharks - Vitality Blast
Rashid Khan holds the key for Afghanistan's chances in the Asia Cup 2018

While all the attention might be on India's series in England, it is about to turn towards the Asia Cup, which has given many thrilling encounters in the past and will give Indian fans an opportunity to watch their team take on arch-rivals Pakistan for the first time since disastrous Champions Trophy Final.

Further, the fact that the mighty Cricket World Cup is less than a year away means that every ODI match the teams competing in it play has added significance.

Teams will be looking at this as an opportunity to get their combinations right and find some form.

However, teams will not be looking at this tournament merely as preparation for the World Cup; the Asia Cup, in itself, holds a great amount of significance and every team will be looking to win it.

With that in mind, this slideshow looks at one 'key player' from each team that will be integral to their side's fortunes.

Note: Hong Kong's squad for the tournament has not yet been announced; hence, this slideshow does not pick out a key player from their side.


India - Rohit Sharma

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Despite his immense growth as a player over the last three years, Rohit has blown hot and blown cold in 2018: he has scored 324 runs in nine innings at an average of 40.5

Post the 2015 World Cup, Rohit Sharma has taken his game to a whole new level and has emerged as one of the best-limited overs openers in the world.

Further, in the absence of Virat Kohli, not only will he be the stand-in captain, but his batting will also be more important to the team's fortunes.

Despite his immense growth as a player over the last three years, Rohit has blown hot and blown cold in 2018: he has scored 324 runs in nine innings at an average of 40.5.

What is more worrying is the fact that 252 of those runs have come in two of the nine innings (115 vs South Africa at Port Elizabeth and 137* vs England at Nottingham).

He has gotten out for 20 or less in all of the other seven innings.

These signs will be worrying for India; however, Rohit Sharma has proven himself to be an extremely valuable asset in limited overs cricket and will be looking to turn his fortunes around in this series.

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