Predicted India Playing XI for Asia Cup 2025

The chief of the selection committee with the BCCI, Ajit Agarkar, unveiled a 15-member India squad for the Asia Cup 2025 on Tuesday. While India's T20I squad for the ACC tournament has sprung some surprises, the Men in Blue will field a full-strength team in the UAE. The Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled to begin on September 9, with India starting their campaign on September 10 against the UAE. Drawn in Group A, India will face UAE, Pakistan, and Oman in the group stage. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the squad, with Shubman Gill heading to the Asia Cup as the team's vice-captain.

A look at predicted India Playing XI for Asia Cup 2025

The appointment of Shubman Gill as India's vice-captain for the Asia Cup 2025 has emerged as a key talking point. The youngster has been out of India's T20I setup for almost a year, having focused on the longer formats. However, upon his return, the Test captain has replaced Axar Patel as the T20I team's vice-captain. Patel served as the deputy of Suryakumar Yadav in the England series at home. Meanwhile, the India squad also features a fully-fit Jasprit Bumrah, whose participation had been under doubt after the India vs England Test series. With a full-strength lineup available, attention now shifts to how the India Playing XI could line up in the Asia Cup.

The elevation of Gill to the leadership group all but guarantees the youngster an opening slot in the India Playing XI for Asia Cup 2025. Alongside him, Abhishek Sharma, currently the top-ranked T20I batter in the world, is expected to retain his place. The opening combination, however, may come at the cost of Sanju Samson. Following the squad announcement, Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, iterated that Samson's appointment as India's T20I opener was a decision made to fill in for Gill while he focused on the longer format.

Agarkar's admission almost confirmed that with Gill's return, Samson's stint has come to an end. Moving on, at No.3, Tilak Varma looks set to continue after an outstanding start to his international career. The young batter, who was promoted ahead of SKY in the batting order, averages nearly 50 with a strike rate above 150, including two centuries. Both Abhishek and Tilak add part-time spin options, making them more valuable to the India Playing XI for Asia Cup 2025.

Suryakumar Yadav, who dropped to No.4 last year to accommodate Tilak, is likely to remain in that slot. Despite an inconsistent T20I run in the past 12 months, his 700-run IPL season at a strike rate of 167.91 serves as reassurance. In the middle order, Shivam Dube is set to edge past Rinku Singh as the additional batting option. Dube’s power against spin and ability to bowl a few overs keeps him in the mix. With Samson likely to miss out, Jitesh Sharma is expected to don the gloves. His recent IPL performances with RCB, where he excelled both as a middle-over enforcer and a finisher, strengthen his case.

From No. 4 onwards, India’s batting is expected to remain flexible depending on conditions in the next tournament on the India cricket schedule. Hardik Pandya continues to be India’s most crucial all-rounder, offering balance with bat and ball. At No.8, Axar Patel adds depth and flexibility. His ability to bowl with the new ball and adjust his batting position makes him a valuable utility player, giving the top order freedom to play aggressively.

On the bowling front, Jasprit Bumrah is set to spearhead the attack, though he might be rotated during the group stage if qualification is secured early. Varun Chakravarthy, enjoying a strong comeback after his forgettable 2021 T20 World Cup outing, is expected to be the lead spinner. That leaves the final bowling slot, where Arshdeep Singh is the frontrunner as the second seamer.

A combination of Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Pandya, supported by Axar and Varun, with part-time contributions from Abhishek, Tilak, and Dube, gives India plenty of variety. However, conditions in the UAE could also prompt a three-spinner approach. In such a scenario, Kuldeep Yadav might come in for Arshdeep, with Bumrah and Pandya handling the pace duties.

India squad for Asia Cup 2025:

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh