Team India probable 18-member squad and  predicted XI for Asia Cup

Asia Cup is all set to commence from 15th September in the sweltering conditions of UAE and India are yet again the favourites to lift the 2018 title. A victory for team India looks highly probable and taking into consideration their run in white-ball cricket, it seems that they will eventually get their hands on the trophy.

So, without wasting a second further, let's have a look at the team India predicted XI and the probable squad for the Asia Cup.

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Openers: Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan

The opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan is undoubtedly one of the best batting pairs in the cricketing World at present.

Since 2015, Rohit Sharma has been in an impeccable form and has smacked 13 ODI centuries in 57 games and it looks like he might notch a couple more in the highly anticipated Asia Cup.

Even the 32-year-old Shikhar Dhawan has managed to be in great touch since his promotion into the playing XI. With 7 centuries and 14 half-centuries in the last 56 games, there is a strong possibility that the left-hander might continue his terrific performances in the upcoming tournament as well.

Middle-order: Virat Kohli(C), KL Rahul

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul would add to India's strength

Indian skipper Virat Kohli will leave no stone unturned in smacking down the opponents across the fences. An average of 58.21 with 9,779 runs and 35 centuries speak how great a player he is when it comes to white-ball cricket.

While he's a one-man army who could solely tear through any bowling lineup, Kohli would certainly require the services of 26-year-old KL Rahul. The Karnataka lad might not have been a highly impressive figure in the ODI formats till date, but given a chance, he could prove his importance in the playing XI in a manner way similar to his T20 style of play.

Wicketkeeper and All-rounder: MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya

MS Dhoni will don a crucial role in upcoming Asia Cup

It would be impossible to even zero down on a playing XI without MS Dhoni's presence. While his recent performances have made him a subject of mass criticism, one simply can't shy away from the fact that he's irreplaceable when it comes to white-ball cricket.

The knowledge and experience that Dhoni brings into the table will surely help the Indian team in getting an edge over their opponents. His ability to change gears in nerve-wracking situations and prance hard onto the opposition is something you will never get to witness among the batsmen of the current generation.

Hardik Pandya's abilities as an all-rounder will come handy on many occasions

It's time for the 24-year-old to gain back the public trust as an all-rounder in the gentleman's game. Hardik's performances with the bat might not have been highly effective till date, as he has amassed mere 670 runs in 27 innings with 4 fifties to his name. However, he would surely remain a vital cog for team India if they are to win the 2018 Asia Cup.

Pacers: Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar would play a central figure for India in Asia Cup

The deadly pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshar Kumar possess the ability to rip through the opposition batting lineup. Considering the form these two spearheads have been in the past couple of years, it would be a foolish decision to omit their names from the playing XI.

Bumrah's toe-crushing yorkers backed Bhuvneshwar's swinging deliveries would surely make matters worse for the rivals. And considering the present form of these spearheads, it won't be surprising if India manage to decimate oppositions to paltry totals in the Asia Cup games.

Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav

Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav will hold the key for India's victories

The spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal will make it extremely tricky for the remaining teams to either opt-in for quick singles or go for mammoth hits. They both have a considerable amount of experience to their name, and it's a high probability that they could emerge as match winners on quite a few occasions.

It would be interesting to see how skipper Virat Kohli makes the most of the spin attack and gets the better of the opposition unit.

Probable 18-man squad for the Asia Cup contests

Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(C), MS Dhoni(wk), Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Axar Patel, Ambati Rayudu and Mohammed Sraj