Asia Cup 2018: 5 players that were royally ignored by selectors for Asia Cup

2. Krunal Pandya

ECB XI v India A - Tour Match

Krunal Pandya could have been a good option for India in the lower middle order in the Asia Cup. He mostly bats down the order in the domestic circuit as well as in the IPL. Although his domestic record is not that impressive, he has performed constantly down the order in the IPL. He has chased many targets for his team, Mumbai Indians under pressure.

The major problem for Krunal's underperformance in domestic cricket was his injury. Krunal didn't play any competitive cricket for almost a year due to shoulder surgery in 2015, and he again injured himself ahead of last season.

Krunal has scored 708 runs in 39 IPL matches at a scintillating strike rate of 153.91. He also has taken 28 wickets at an economy rate of 7.12. Pandya has also dismissed AB de Villiers four times in the IPL which is no mean feat.

Pandya should be fast-tracked in India's ODI team as he is a good hitter of the ball and has the qualities of becoming a good match finisher. He could be a good option with his tight line and length as the sixth bowler who could bowl few overs if Hardik is going for excessive runs. He is a better option than Axar Patel, who is not that dependable with his bat.