The India National Cricket Team has officially finalized its opening combination for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, starting on September 9 in the UAE. They will kick off their campaign against the UAE on September 10, followed by a big game against Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai.
As the preparations are going on in full swing for the continental tournament, a top India National Cricket Team official spilled the beans on the team’s opening combination amid the intense buzz due to Shubman Gill, the Test captain’s return to the T20I side after more than a year.
India locks their opening pair for the Asia Cup 2025
It is being said that Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma are locked in as the India openers for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. The India think tank has finalized the duo for the top, and any changes can only be expected if they get injured. This move has put Sanju Samson’s role in jeopardy.
The stage is set for the Asia Cup 2025, where eight teams, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong, will battle for glory. The teams are divided into two groups, with the top two from each group moving into the Super Four.
From there, the best two teams will face off in the grand final. The Men in Blue are entering the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 as defending champions, having lifted the trophy in 2023. Last time, they won the trophy under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, and it was played in the ODI format.
India aims for the ninth Asia Cup title
But this time, the Men in Blue will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, aiming to secure their ninth title in the history of the tournament. However, the tournament will be played in the T20 format to prepare for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
The Men in Blue have been in outstanding form in the T20I cricket, winning 35 of their last 40 matches, and this event is the perfect start to their build-up for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Big names like Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shubman Gill are expected to play crucial roles in their Asia Cup 2025 campaign.
Asia Cup 2025 set for record prize pool, winners could earn ₹2.6 Crore
Meanwhile, the prize money for Asia Cup 2025 has become a major talking point. It is being said that the winners of the 2025 edition could take home around USD 300,000 (₹2.6 crore), with the runners-up pocketing half of that amount.
Cash prizes for Man of the Match and Player of the Tournament will also see a significant rise from the last edition of the tournament. However, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has yet to officially confirm the figures, but the prize pool is expected to be significantly higher than before.
On the other hand, Adidas has announced a massive discount on India’s official jersey, slashing prices by almost 80%. The “FW24 India Cricket T20 International” jersey, which carries Dream11 as the title sponsor, is now available on Adidas’ official online store for just ₹1,199. Its original price was ₹5,999.