23 August,2025 06:29 PM IST | Dubai | mid-day online correspondent
(L-R) Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah (Pic: AFP)
India have unveiled a well-rounded 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, featuring depth across departments and a mix of experience and emerging talent. While the selection has largely been praised for its balance, the exclusion of some notable names and the role of fringe players like Harshit Rana has sparked discussions among fans and analysts.
The bowling unit looks formidable on paper, featuring three frontline pacers, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Rana, along with two specialist spinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy. The presence of all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel further enhances India's flexibility, while Shivam Dube and Abhishek Sharma offer additional part-time options.
This configuration provides India with a variety of bowling combinations to adapt to match conditions in the UAE, where pitches tend to assist spin more than seam.
The inclusion of Rana, who has just one T20I appearance to his name, has led to a pertinent question: Should he be part of the playing XI in such a high-stakes tournament?
One possible setup is to deploy all three frontline pacers, Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Rana, supported by Axar and one of the two specialist spinners. In this scenario, Pandya would act as the fourth pace option, a role he fulfilled efficiently during the T20 World Cup 2024.
However, this seam-heavy formation is more suitable for pace-friendly conditions, which is a luxury not typically offered by UAE pitches, where spinners historically play a decisive role.
India's dual-spin threat of Kuldeep and Chakaravarthy is hard to overlook, especially considering their performances in the Champions Trophy 2025. Chakaravarthy emerged as one of the tournament's standout bowlers with nine wickets, while Kuldeep scalped seven wickets, often operating in tandem to strangle opposition line-ups.
Chakaravarthy, in particular, has been on a remarkable run since his return to the national side in 2024, claiming 31 wickets in just 12 matches. Kuldeep, too, has transformed into a consistent wicket-taker in white-ball cricket, providing breakthroughs in crucial phases.
Given the conditions in the UAE and India's current squad dynamics, the optimal bowling attack appears to be:
In this setup, Rana would miss out, but the team gains control and variety, with six reliable bowling options, each capable of completing their full quota of overs. Pandya can comfortably operate as the third seamer, allowing the team to bat deeper while maintaining a potent bowling unit.
India's bowling strategy for the Asia Cup 2025 will ultimately hinge on pitch conditions and opposition match-ups. While Rana is an exciting talent with raw pace and aggression, the current dynamics and spin-friendly conditions suggest he may have to wait a little longer for his breakthrough on the big stage.
