Atul Wassan Says India’s B Team Can Beat Pakistan
India and Pakistan both head into Sunday’s Asia Cup 2025 Group A clash on the back of emphatic wins. However, the quality gap between the two sides has drawn bold comments from former India pacer Atul Wassan, who believes even a second-string India side can easily defeat Salman Agha’s Pakistan team.
Speaking to CNN-News18 ahead of the high-voltage encounter in Dubai, Wassan dismissed concerns over India missing big names like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He stressed that India’s depth in white-ball cricket makes them nearly unbeatable.
“India’s B team will also beat this Pakistan team because things have changed. When we played in the 90s, they were a very good side. Now the boot is on the other foot. I will not miss Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) because then I will start missing Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev also. The king is dead, long live the king. Things move, new superstars come in, and this embarrassment of riches, and I feel sorry for the selectors because to keep everyone in the mix because who’s to drop and who’s to pick,” Wassan said.
India’s Post Kohli-Rohit Era Dominance
India’s T20 record since June 2024 highlights their strength. In the post Kohli-Rohit era, India have played 21 matches and lost only three. This commanding run has silenced doubts about any transition phase for the Men in Blue.
Former India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla backed Wassan’s thoughts, praising India’s rich talent pool and experience gained through IPL exposure.
Arshdeep and the Bench Strength Factor
“If you look at the current Indian team, the amount of games that they have won post the Rohit and Kohli era in T20 cricket, they are doing a wonderful job. Somebody like Arshdeep is not getting a chance in the playing XI, being in the top five of world T20 bowlers. I think this team looks really set, and you always miss these kinds of players. But this is the part and parcel of the game. One has to come and then go. We can’t even say that this team is going through a transition period, because if you see all the players in this squad, they have so much experience, and when you play a tournament like the IPL, when the standards are so high,” Chawla explained.
He added that the players’ experience in domestic cricket and the IPL has prepared them to deal with pressure on the big stage.
“So you know how to handle the pressure. How to hold your nerves in those difficult situations. They have been through all of that, no matter when you are playing for your franchise and when you are playing for your country, because you learn from playing domestic cricket, IPL. You learn all these things from those games. So when it comes to the big stage, they know how to handle those situations. There is enough experience in this dressing room to handle these kinds of situations,” he added.
India vs Pakistan: High Stakes Clash
India will lock horns with Pakistan for the first time since their T20 World Cup 2024 group-stage meeting. Both teams enter this Asia Cup showdown in Dubai on strong form, but the weight of expectations and pressure of the rivalry promise a thrilling contest.
With India’s bench strength drawing praise and Pakistan looking to prove critics wrong, all eyes will be on Sunday’s clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Stay tuned for all the latest Match Predictions, Fantasy Tips, Cricket updates, match highlights, player analysis, and viral moments!