Reports: Manish Pandey to be included in the squad for Asia Cup 2018

What's the story?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is to announce the Indian squad for the Asia Cup 2018 on September 1. Ahead of an important tournament, the Indian selectors have a lot of names in mind.

Apart from the senior Indian cricketers, India A and India B players who have done well in the recent past might make it into the Indian team. Among those, Manish Pandey knocked on the selectors' doors with his brilliant performances in the recently concluded Quadrangular A team series.

In case you didn't know...

He made his international debut in 2014 but he is yet to cement his place in the Indian team. After the poor performances in South Africa tour and IPL 2018, he was not included in the ODI squad for the England tour. However, he got a place in the squad for the three-match T20I series against England, but failed to make it into the playing XI.

The details

India B asked him to captain the side for the recently concluded Quadrangular A team series. Pandey remained not out throughout the tournament and helped his team to win the trophy. He scored 95* against South Africa A, 21* against India A, 117* against Australia A. In the final against Aussies, he smashed an unbeaten 73 to clinch the trophy.

“Manish has impressed most with his performance in the Quadrangular series, he will be expected to bat at No.5 in the Asia Cup. He will most certainly be a part of the squad,” a source said.

Along with Manish Pandey, his India B teammate Mayank Agarwal might earn a maiden call-up for the Indian team. In the recently concluded Quadrangular series, he scored a hundred against India A and a fifty in the final against Australia.

What's next?

The Indian team will play their first game against the qualifying team in the Asia Cup on September 18, 2018.