The Asia Cup starts in less than a week, finally marking the Indian cricket team’s return to action more than a month after their impressive draw against England for the first-ever Anderson-Tendulkar trophy.
Shubman Gill, having successfully recovered from an illness, will serve as a deputy to T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav as India fine-tunes its preparations ahead of the all-important T20 World Cup next year. The Indian team is coming off a terrific run in T20Is last year, where they won 22 out of 26 matches, and with the T20 World Cup returning to home soil for the first time in 10 years, anything less than a trophy finish would be disappointing for the defending champions.
India’s two biggest challenges would be against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. While Afghanistan and Bangladesh tend to cause upsets, the Indian team appears way too strong to be at the receiving end of one. Having said that, former India all-rounder Madan Lal has advice for Suryakumar Yadav. The ex-India coach and a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team wants Kuldeep Yadav to be part of India’s Playing XI. The left-arm wrist spinner did not play a single game through the five-Test series in England, but Lal wants India, under SKY, to take a chance they didn’t under Gill.
“Kuldeep Yadav should be included in the team due to his unique bowling style, which is difficult to counter in T20 cricket, though the final decision depends on the wicket conditions and team combination. Two spinners and three pace bowlers should be included in Dubai,” Lal told ANI.
‘There is controversy over…’
When India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025 was announced last month, Shreyas Iyer’s inclusion did not sit well with several cricketing personalities, Lal included, who still feels the decision was a controversial one. Having said that, the 74-year-old is confident that India can break free of all that’s happening off the field and channel all their energy into becoming Asia Cup Champions for a record-extending ninth time.
“India is a strong favourite due to their skilled team. The unpredictability of the T20 format and the performances of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, noting that Afghanistan is currently playing well. There is controversy over the team combination, particularly the exclusion of Shreyas Iyer, with selections often decided by selectors and coaches… Afghanistan is seen as a potential challenger to Pakistan, whose current performance and confidence levels are questioned. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are considered strong contenders,” he added.