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Following the announcement of India’s 15-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, a clear plan to build the T20 unit for the T20 World Cup 2026 is evident. However, the exact combination for the playing XI remains a significant question, especially with the surprise inclusion of Shubman Gill as vice-captain.
Sunil Gavaskar reveals his preferred playing XI for India’s Asia Cup 2025 opening game
Stepping into this discussion, cricket icon and former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has provided his expert opinion, outlining a definitive team that he believes should take the field in India’s opening match. As per Hindustan Times, Gavaskar’s choices reveal a strategic approach aimed at balancing aggression with stability, all while making a passionate case for a player he feels is too talented to be left out.
Gavaskar’s batting order and a curious case for Sanju Samson
In a lineup that contained few major surprises, Gavaskar’s firm stance on the batting order, and particularly the inclusion of Sanju Samson, stood out. He made a strong case for fitting in both Gill and Samson, even if it meant batting the wicket-keeper lower down the order. “He can bat at 5 or 6. He shouldn’t be left out, after all he’s the wicket-keeper. Sanju is a very gifted player, he can adapt. He is used to batting down the order, we shouldn’t be too worried about him, he’s a class act,” Gavaskar said.
For the top of the order, Gavaskar’s vision was clear. He opted for a dynamic opening partnership of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, a pair he referred to as the “two Punjab boys.” He stated, “Your first choice XI and your batting order will depend on a lot of things, like what the pitch is like, who the opposition is, what their bowling attack is. The two certainties would be Abhishek and Shubman Gill, the two Punjab boys opening the batting together, that would be my opening pair,”
The middle order, he suggested, would be built around the team’s flexible batting core, with Tilak Varma and captain Suryakumar Yadav at numbers three and four respectively, maintaining the left-hand right-hand flexibility. Gavaskar rounded out his batting choices by saying, “Depending on what the score is or what you need, you either put Hardik Pandya a little bit ahead, or Sanju Samson goes in to bat, there is also somebody like Axar Patel who can come in and bat, how well he batted in the final of the T20 World Cup in Barbados. That would be the way to go,”
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A four-pronged bowling attack for Asia Cup 2025 opening game
Gavaskar’s choices for the bowling unit were equally well-rounded and reflected the team’s strengths. He opted for a combination of four frontline bowlers and the crucial all-round abilities of his selected batters. His opening bowling partnership would feature the pace of Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah. The spin department, he said, would be anchored by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy. He confidently asserted, “As far as the bowling is concerned, I would go with Arshdeep as well as Bumrah to open the bowling, also have Axar and Hardik Pandya as the all-rounders, then Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy,” Acknowledging the tough decisions involved in selection, he concluded by mentioning the players who might miss out. “Dube, Jitesh, Harshit, and Rinku Singh, it’s tough for them but that’s what it is,”
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