3 Indian batsmen who could bat at No 3 in the Asia Cup 2018

The Asian giants will lock horns with each other in the Asia Cup 2018 which will kick off from 15th September. This mega event will be one of the most tournament as it will be a rehearsal for the World Cup 2019. It will be a mouth-watering series as most of the teams are strong on paper, and any team could win on a given day.

In this edition of the tournament, six teams will be participating into groups. In group A, India, Pakistan and the winner of the Asia Cup qualifiers will be competing against each other while in group B it will be Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The Indian selectors have announced the squad for the mega event giving Virat Kohli the much-needed rest. As a result of this decision, Rohit Sharma will take over the reigns of the Indian team. The big question remains that who will bat in place of Kohli which is the most crucial position in the batting order.

Let us find out the likely candidate for the number three position in the Asia Cup.

#3 Ambati Rayudu

Rayudu will have another chance to prove his worth after he failed the Yo-Yo test

Ambati Rayudu has been named in the Indian squad after continuing his good form in the recent Quadrangular series. In four matches, he has scored 187 runs at an average of 62.33 with two half-centuries to his name.

Rayudu is the perfect fit for Virat Kohli's batting position as he has a good track record at number three. While batting at this slot, he scored 569 runs in 11 matches at an astounding average of 81.28 and scored two centuries and two fifties.

In this year's IPL, he has amassed over 600 runs and played a crucial role in Chennai Super King's success. With his current form, Rayudu is the most likely candidate for the No.3 slot.

#2 KL Rahul

KL Rahul will be a vital cog in the batting order going into the next year's World Cup

KL Rahul will play a big role in the absence of Virat Kohli in the middle order. Though he has looked completely out of sorts in whites, he has been in an incredible form in the limited overs format.

In the T20 series against England, Rahul scored a scintillating century and continued his sublime form. While in the IPL 2018 edition, he scored 659 runs at an amazing strike-rate of 140 and has 10 half-centuries to his name.

The Karnataka batsman has a strong technique and the ability to score runs quickly when on a song. He might be used at number three slot and would like to grab this opportunity with both hands to make a strong case for the World Cup 2019.

#1 Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey has blown hot and cold in his whole career and would like to cement his spot

The talented Manish Pandey has been a curious case for a long time, and it will be his last opportunity to cement his place for the mega event next year. He was in a great form in the recently concluded Quadrangular series and was the winning captain of the tournament.

Pandey was not only excellent with his captaincy skills but also led from the front with the bat. In this series, he remained unbeaten in all the matches he played and scored runs consistently. In four matches, he scored 306 runs with one century and two half-centuries to his name.

Pandey is enjoying the purple patch, and the Indian team management will be itching to use his sublime form to the best of the utility. He could make a strong case for Virat Kohli's batting position and would look to score plenty of runs if he gets the opportunity.