Asia Cup 2018: 3 Indian players expected to shine

With the Test series against England already lost, the focus of Indian fans has already shifted to the upcoming Asia Cup to be held in the United Arab Emirates from 15th September. But the Indian team will be without a lot of big names. Rohit Sharma will captain a young Indian team as they look to capture the Asia Cup for a record 7th time.

If India are to win the trophy this time around, a lot of big stars will have to step up to the plate. Here are 3 Indian stars who are expected to shine at the upcoming tournament.

---

#3. Hardik Pandya

Indian fans will have high hopes of Pandya

It has been fascinating to witness the transformation of Hardik Pandya over the past couple of years. He has managed to become a world-class all-rounder in a very short span of time.

While questions still exist over his consistency, Pandya has shown great maturity over the past few months. He has the ability to contribute with both bat and ball. His newfound ability to pick up wickets will also be something Indian fans will be excited about.

Pandya is expected to be India's premier all-rounder for years to come. And if India are to win the Asia Cup this year, a lot will be riding on the shoulders of the youngster.

#2. Rohit Sharma

A lot will be expected from the Indian captain

Rohit Sharma has been known for his inconsistent form over his whole career. While he can be very frustrating at times, on his day there is no better batsman in the world. At the end of the day, the man has scored three double centuries in One Day Cricket. That should tell you everything you need to know about his ability as a batsman.

He will also have the added responsibility of captaining the Indian side this time around in the absence of Kohli. In the past, he has shown his captaincy skills with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Now it will be interesting to see how he handles the extra duties with the national side.

But with M.S. Dhoni in the side, Rohit does not need to worry about the captaincy side of things. His main concern should be getting runs consistently with the bat. If he is on song throughout the tournament, then it is going to be extremely difficult for the other teams to stop India from winning the Asia Cup.

#1. M.S. Dhoni

This will surely be Dhoni's last Asia Cup

The media had started to raise questions about Dhoni's place in the Indian team. But over the last 12 months, Dhoni has answered his critics expertly. Now he will be looking to win the Asia Cup one last time as he enters the last few years of his storied career.

Dhoni has been a consistent pillar of this Indian side for more than a decade. But the reality is that age is starting to get the better of him. Still, he has shown that he can be a big contributor to this Indian side. The team's struggles to replace him in Tests just show how important a role he plays.

With the World Cup on the horizon, this is most probably Dhoni's last year in the Indian jersey. And he will be keen to win everything possible before he finally hangs up his boots.

Dhoni might not be the youngest guy in the Indian dressing room anymore, but there is still a lot left in the gas tank.