Team India faces Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 after a dominant win over the UAE. Key questions include Arshdeep Singh’s possible inclusion and whether India will stick to their spin-heavy strategy to exploit Dubai’s slow, turning conditions.
Team India will continue their quest for the Asia Cup title defence when they take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the blockbuster clash at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 14. The Men in Blue kicked off their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a commanding nine-wicket win over the hosts, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Suryakumar Kumar-led Team India was clinical across all departments, especially in the bowling, with Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube dismantling the UAE batting order to set up a comfortable chase for the Men in Blue.
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Following the victory against the hosts, the defending champions have shifted their focus towards the blockbuster clash against Pakistan in Dubai. This will be the first face-off between the two teams since the Champions Trophy group stage encounter this year.
As Team India gears up for the crucial clash against Pakistan, the question is whether the playing XI will see a tactical tweak heading into the match.
Will Arshdeep Singh make it to the XI?
One of the main questions is whether Arshdeep Singh will be included in the playing XI for the crucial clash against Pakistan. The left-arm pacer was not picked for India’s opening match against the UAE, as they went with a pace bowling specialist and two spinners, given the condition of the pitch at the Dubai International Stadium.
If Arshdeep Singh were to get picked into the team, Shivam Dube is likely to make way for him. However, the Team India management will find it hard to exclude Dube, as the seam-bowling all-rounder picked up three wickets in the match against the UAE, making a strong case for his retention in the XI. Moreover, India added depth to their batting in the line-up against the UAE, with eight batters in the playing XI.
Since the condition of the pitch at the Dubai International Stadium is expected to assist spinners, especially in the middle overs, India may continue with their two spin specialists, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, for the clash, making the selection dilemma between Dube and Arshdeep even more intriguing.
As Shivam Dube gives an extra batting option, the team management might be reluctant to drop him, as his all-round skills add depth to the batting while contributing effectively with the ball.
Spin-heavy attack is likely
In the opening match against the UAE, Team India management picked three spinners in the playing XI – Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel, while Abhishek Sharma was considered a back-up spin option, giving the side a spin-heavy look tailored to the Dubai conditions. The same strategy was applied in the Champions Trophy this year, where India picked up to four specialist spinners, including Chakravarthy, Kuldeep, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Kuldeep Yadav delivered a magical spell as he registered figures of 4/7 at an economy rate of 3.20 in 2.1 overs, while Varum Chakravarthy delivered an economical spell of 2/4 at an economy rate of 2 in two overs. Axar Patel bowled three overs while taking a wicket and conceded 13 runs, providing crucial control in the middle overs.
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Similarly, Pakistan went with a pace bowling specialist in Shaheen Afridi and three spinners in Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, and Sufiyan Muqeem, while Saim Ayub as a back-up spin bowling combination against Oman, reflecting their intent to exploit the slow, turning conditions in Dubai.
Therefore, the Men in Blue are likely to stick with the same combination against Pakistan, relying on a spin-heavy attack complemented by a balanced pace unit to counter their arch-rivals in Dubai.
Sanju Samson to retain his place
Sanju Samson was given a nod over Jitesh Sharma as wicketkeeper for India’s opening match against the UAE and was slotted to No.5 from the opener role, as team management paired Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma at the top order. Samson batted as an opener in the last three T20I series against Bangladesh, South Africa, and England, but with the return of Gill to the T20I fold as a vice-captain, the Kerala cricketer has been pushed down the order.
Samson did not get to bat against the UAE as India chased down the target in 4.3 overs, but he took a brilliant catch to dismiss Asif Khan off Shivam Dube’s delivery. Sanju Samson’s retention in the playing XI was hinted at by batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, who praised his flexibility to bat at any position in the line-up.
“See, Sanju has not batted a lot at No. 5 or 6. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t do it. So, I think Sanju is a good enough player to bat at any number. So, according to the requirement of the team, the captain and head coach will decide. And he is more than happy to bat at any number.” Kotak told the reporters on the sidelines of India’s practice session at the ICC Academy ground in Dubai.
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Sanju Samson’s selection to the team was based on his impressive performance in the last three T20I series, 417 runs, including three centuries, at an average of 37.90 in 12 matches. He was the first Indian player to score two consecutive centuries in T20I history.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma are expected to continue as an opening pair, while Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma will bat at No.2 and No.3, respectively. Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Shivam Dube will handle the lower middle order, providing India with finishing power and all-round depth to balance both batting and bowling options against Pakistan.
India’s likely playing XI: Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.