India In Asia Cup 2022 & 2018: India is a two-time defending Asia Cup champion. They won the title in 2016 and 2018. The 2016 edition was played in the T20 format. While the 2018 edition was played in the ODI format. MS Dhoni led the side to glory in 2016. In 2018, it was stand-in captain, Rohit Sharma who won the cup.
India hardly broke a sweat in winning both these titles. They are rightfully the Asian champions. The 2022 edition will also provide a sneak peek into the T20 World Cup 2022. It will be a dress rehearsal for the Indian side to put in impressive performances.
We Look At A Few Players Who Were Part Of Both The 2018 & 2022 Editions:
#6 Dinesh Karthik
He has literally brought down the selection door on the basis of a strong IPL 2022. Dinesh Karthik has nailed down the finishers’ spot. The chances of failure are high in a position where Karthik bats. But the veteran has given it all. He was part of the ODI setup in the Asia Cup, 2018. Karthik is all set to feature in this year’s edition too.
#5 Yuzvendra Chahal
He was India’s biggest weapon in limited-overs cricket in 2017-19. Yuzvendra Chahal spun a web around batsmen with his canny wrist spin. He doesn’t boast of a ripping leg-break nor does he have a sharp googly. But what he has in abundance is the ability to read the batsmen. Chahal after an indifferent season is now back to being India’s key weapon. Expect him to showcase his magic in Asia Cup, in 2022 too.
#4 Bhuvneshwar Kumar
India had a disastrous T20 World Cup 2021. Their bowling woes started with Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s poor form. He made a solid return post the tournament. Kumar is now India’s premier bowler in the format. He has been adept both with the new ball and at the death. Kumar is expected to play a big part in both the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup.
#3 Ravindra Jadeja
It was in this tournament in 2018 that Ravindra Jadeja made a comeback to India’s limited-overs setup. He had a fine Asia Cup displaying his all-round skills. It was on the back of this tournament, that the resurgence of Jadeja, the white-ball player started. Jadeja remains an important wheel in India’s quest for multi-team tournament success.
#2 KL Rahul
In 2018, KL Rahul was still young in his international career. He opened the innings in World Cup 2019 owing to an injury to Shikhar Dhawan. Rahul has gone from strength to strength since then. He is one of India’s premier T20 batsmen. Rahul has had a long injury lay-off. The Asia Cup will be a test of his skill and temperament.
#1 Rohit Sharma
India’s now full-time captain, Rohit Sharma has hardly put a foot wrong. He has tasted immense success as a leader after taking up the responsibility. Sharma previously did lead the team to glory in the 2018 edition. He has the experience of leading sides successfully in a multi-team tournament. The 2022 edition will challenge the skipper who has huge expectations riding on him.
