4 courageous decisions that can help India defend their Asia Cup Title

Team India is currently on the last leg of the England tour, with just two more games to go. After going down in the first two matches, India fought back courageously and secured one of the most famous overseas victories with a comprehensive team effort.

While the focus largely remains on the remaining two fixtures, the team must also be planning about its next assignment - The Asia Cup. The continental extravaganza is scheduled to begin within a week after the completion of England tour.

India enters into the tournament as defending champions, having claimed their 6th victory in 2016. In the previous edition, India won the tournament comfortably, with other sides putting up a lacklustre display.

However, this time around, the Indians might face some stiff competition for the title, especially from arch-rivals Pakistan, who are slowly transitioning their team. In the face of these circumstances, there are some out-of-the-box decisions that need to be taken.

Virat Kohli has had a successful run after taking the reins from MS Dhoni, leading his team to many bilateral series wins. However, the unorthodox element seems to be missing from his captaincy like his predecessor.

Of late, the ODI side has been facing some issues which surfaced in the recent limited overs leg against the English. Thus, it would be interesting to see how Captain Kohli channelizes his resources in this multilateral tournament to steer his team to victory.

We have a look at 4 courageous moves that can help Team India to defend their Asia Cup title :

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#4 MS Dhoni at number 4

The number 4 slot has been the most concerning area for Team India in the previous 36 months. India have tried 11 batsmen at this slot, but none of the players have been able to make it a spot of their own.

In the recently concluded series against England, KL Rahul and Dinesh Karthik were entrusted the role to anchor the innings, which went in vain. In the same series, MS Dhoni was severely criticised for his slow knocks down the order.

While it was largely due to the situation and lack of support at the other end, the wicketkeeper-batsman was also not able to find the boundary at will. MSD did stress upon batting higher up the order in the last series under his captaincy, but the resurgence of Yuvraj Singh and emergence of young guns dwindled away those prospects.

However, Dhoni's game plan is perfectly suited for the no.4 slot. As the senior-most stalwart of the team, he brings in the elements of responsibility and stability in the squad. The former skipper can pace the innings extremely well in the middle overs, being equally adept against both pace and spin.

He can negotiate the skilled bowlers, find the occasional boundary and can run between the wickets like a thunderbolt. Once he gets set, he can wreak havoc on the opposition towards the end of the innings, with his expert finishing touches.

Moreover, the wicketkeeper-batsman enjoys a good rapport with captain Virat Kohli, their partnerships having steered India to victory on numerous occasions. Thus, MS Dhoni and no. 4 slot- both seem to be a perfect match for each other.

#3 Entrusting the Middle Order on Young Shoulders

Iyer and Pant can end India's middle order woes

In the past few years, the Indian middle order has been ephemeral. Most of the victories have been possible due to the contributions of the top 3, and the firepower in the end. The middle order conundrum remains a headache for the captain and the team management, as none of the players have been able to cement their spot.

The team received a setback in the 2015 World Cup Semi Final and 2017 Champions Trophy final when the top order could not deliver and the middle order failed to step up.

In the recently concluded ODI series against England and South Africa, 68.71% runs were scored by the top 3, which clearly highlights the imbalance in contribution. Moreover, the middle order is also plagued by uncertainty, as the batting sequence is changed every now and then.

It is the right time to invest in young talent, keeping the 2019 World Cup and ventures beyond that in mind. Further, bringing in permanence will also provide a sense of security in the players. Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant are the best-suited individuals for the same.

These two players largely contrast each other, with Shreyas Iyer focusing more on technical aspects, while Rishabh Pant focusing on slogging the ball. The two have been instrumental in the success of India A, it is just the right time to usher in their dominance at the international arena.

While Iyer can end India's middle order woes, Pant can be groomed to step into the big shoes of MS Dhoni post his retirement.

#2 Rohit Sharma to chip in with the ball

Rohit Sharma can make a difference with a few overs

Now, this would have surely raised some eyebrows. However, considering the current situation of the team, it seems the only feasible option.

Hardik Pandya has been a regular feature in the side since 2016, and discharges the role of the fifth bowler in the form of a seam-bowling all-rounder. But, Pandya is not a regular wicket-taking bowler.

He has also ended up to be expensive on numerous occasions, which further aggravates the situation. In the previous series against England, the 24-year old all-rounder went wicketless and leaked runs at an economy of almost 7.

Rohit Sharma had started off his career as an off-spinner and has a hat-trick to his name in the IPL. With the tournament set to be staged in UAE, the dry pitches will make the conditions conducive for spinners.

In such circumstances, few economical overs by the Hitman could shift the momentum towards India. The presence of Suresh Raina did provide an option to Kohli, however, with an uninspired outing in England the southpaw is not expected to make the cut in the Asia Cup squad.

It was Sourav Ganguly who pioneered this practice of fulfilling the fifth bowler's quota from part-timers, and it is the right time for Virat Kohli to carry forward the legacy.

#1 Drafting Prithvi Shaw and Krunal Pandya into the squad

Prithvi Shaw can devastate the bowling line-up upfront

The inclusion of Prithvi Shaw and Krunal Pandya in the squad is another startling move but promises to pay good dividends.

The tour of England will come to an end on 11 September and Team India shall take the field again in a week, playing two matches in two days. Thus, the team will have a very short duration to regroup and reassess.

With injuries taking a toll on players of late, it is necessary to provide adequate rest to the players, keeping the tours Down Under and New Zealand in mind, along with the all-important World Cup in 2019.

With the extremely hectic nature of the tournament, Prithvi Shaw can step into the shoes as one of the openers in a couple of matches, especially the starting one against the qualifying team.

The U-19 skipper is a devastating batsman upfront, who can unsettle the bowling attack with his aggressive yet technically sound strokes. Having got a debut Test call, the Mumbai-lad can well receive a call in the 50-over format also.

Prithvi Shaw and Krunal Pandya shall bring the elements of surprise and versatility to the side. Both the players come on the back of successful domestic outings with India A, preceded by a thunderous run in the IPL.

Krunal Pandya can bring great balance into the squad

Krunal Pandya vies for a spot in the 11 with Axar Patel. Despite Axar's heroics in the recent county match, Pandya is a more suitable candidate, since he can give the ball a good whack towards the end and can also roll his arm on the dry UAE pitches.

The 27-year old is a livewire on the field and can trap the opposition batsmen off guard with his great athleticism. Pandya recently received the Lala Amarnath Award for his sensational exploits in the domestic circuit.

With Team India trying many combinations in recent times, the U19 skipper and the Baroda all-rounder also deserve a place in the squad.