Kuldeep Yadav Likely to Miss Out in India Asia Cup XI
The wait for Kuldeep Yadav’s return to the India Asia Cup XI is likely to extend further. The left-arm wrist spinner, who played a crucial role in India’s Champions Trophy victory earlier this year, is unlikely to feature in India’s starting XI for the Asia Cup 2025. Unlike the England tour where team balance was the factor, this time the Dubai pitch has forced the team management into a different plan.
During their first training session at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday, ahead of their Asia Cup opener against the UAE, India were greeted with a pitch carrying a noticeable green tinge. The surface is expected to aid seamers rather than spinners, changing the team’s approach compared to the Champions Trophy.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel admitted conditions had changed.
“Again, we need to go and look at the wicket. I think when the Champions Trophy was played at that time, there was a lot of cricket on the surfaces here and they looked a little bit tired,” said Morkel.
“So again, tonight we’ll have a first look at the surface, and I believe there’s quite a bit of grass covering on the square. So we’ll have a good idea going into the first game in terms of what is sort of a better way to go, but in terms of planning at the moment, we’re covering all bases and then we’ll make a decision obviously on match day.”
Varun Chakaravarthy to Lead Spin
The shift in conditions means India are likely to go with only one specialist spinner in the Asia Cup XI. Varun Chakaravarthy looks set to take that spot given his T20 record. The secondary spin role will be shared by all-rounder Axar Patel, while Abhishek Sharma could also provide overs if required.
Morkel acknowledged Kuldeep Yadav’s tough situation.
“I think he’s a very professional athlete. His attitude since England, where he received hardly any game time, he’s still the guy that put the overs in,” Morne Morkel said.
“And for me, Kuldeep, like I said, he’s bowled a lot of overs in his career. He knows what to do to get himself ready for T20 cricket, white-ball cricket. And like I said, we can control only what we can control now, and that is when we do train now and when we have our sessions, that it’s focused, that there’s a purpose behind it and we have goals. We set those goals out and from there, it’s up to them to go out and lead with the ball.”
Gambhir’s Strategy and XI Balance
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has emphasized batting depth in every format. In the Champions Trophy, India fielded three all-rounders. With Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20Is, seam bowling all-rounder Shivam Dube is in line to join the XI, strengthening both the batting and bowling balance.
The middle-order could also see Jitesh Sharma edging past Sanju Samson for the wicketkeeper’s slot. Dube and Jitesh are both set to add more depth to India’s batting and provide tactical flexibility.
Pace Attack to Take Charge
Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh remain certainties in the seam department. Given the grass content, there is a possibility of including a third seamer such as Harshit Rana. However, India are unlikely to take that route in their opening match against the UAE.
The India Asia Cup XI may not feature Kuldeep Yadav, but with conditions shaping up for fast bowlers, the team is preparing to rely on a seam-heavy attack backed by multi-skilled all-rounders.
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