India will defend the Asia Cup title in September in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The continental competition will be played in the T20 format this
year as the top teams in Asia look to prepare for next year's T20 World Cup.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead a young and fearless Indian team, with Shubman Gill stepping in as his deputy, replacing Axar Patel. However, the selectors have faced criticism after ignoring the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer. Despite their absence, India have assembled a strong side as they look to win a record-extending ninth Asia Cup title.
Strengths
India's strength lies in their fearless approach and balance in the side. After winning the T20 World Cup last year, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja retired from the format in international cricket. Since then, India have invested in youth, with Suryakumar and head coach Gautam Gambhir helming the transition phase.
India have blown away opposition teams over the last 12 months. They have played with a great flamboyance and not worried about the risky approach backfiring. The likes of Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy have helped India dominate with the ball in all phases of matches. Destructive openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have also helped India bamboozle opponents from the get-go. All-rounders like Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel only add more value in the formidable unit.
Weaknesses
It is hard to circle out a weak point in the Indian team as they almost have all bases covered. The team is slightly short on experience in international cricket. However, all the players have been part of several matches in the IPL, which involves the best players in world cricket. The IPL has also been played in the UAE during the COVID-19 era, so the surfaces in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah are not unfamiliar for the Indian players.
However, India are slightly thin on their seam-bowling resources. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana has been picked as a frontline pacer. The latter has only played one T20I so far and conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.18 in IPL 2025. Lack of practice ahead of the event could be the only cause of concern for India. They have not played a T20I since February 2025. Their series against Bangladesh was postponed during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy to September 2026.
Opportunities
If the young Indian side can defend the Asia Cup title, it will give them a lot of confidence in the lead-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup. They will also become the first team to win the Asia Cup on nine occasions. India's experience of playing T20 cricket in the UAE and the ability to adapt to all conditions can stand them in good stead.
Threats
The pressure of expectations could be a massive threat to the Indian team. They will do well to keep themselves away from the outside noise. The lack of experience in the bowling department, especially the absence of seasoned veterans like Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, could make a difference. Further, if Abhishek fails to get his team off to blazing starts, the pressure will be on the middle-order to perform under pressure.
India's squad for Asia Cup 2025:
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana.
