India are strong favourites to win Asia Cup, Madan Lal says

Dubai: Former India cricketer Madan Lal has backed India as strong favourites for the upcoming Asia Cup, set to begin in the UAE on September 9.

“India have a skilled and balanced side, making them clear favourites. That said, the T20 format is unpredictable, and teams like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and especially Afghanistan — who are performing well at the moment — cannot be underestimated,” Lal told ANI.

India will open their campaign against the UAE on September 10, followed by a much-anticipated clash against Pakistan on September 14, both in Dubai. Their final group-stage game will be against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.

Lal also emphasised the importance of including left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI, calling him a potential gamechanger.

“There’s debate over team combinations, particularly the omission of Shreyas Iyer. Ultimately, these calls rest with selectors and coaches. I believe Afghanistan could even challenge Pakistan, given Pakistan’s inconsistent form. As for India, Kuldeep Yadav should feature—his bowling is unique and tough to handle in T20 cricket. Depending on the conditions in Dubai, I’d go with two spinners and three pacers,” he explained.

Kuldeep, who did not feature in the recently concluded five-Test series against England, has been named in India’s Asia Cup squad. He has 69 wickets from 40 international matches at an impressive average of 14.07, with a best of 5/17 against South Africa.

The left-arm spinner last appeared in competitive cricket during IPL 2025, where he picked up 15 wickets in 14 games at an average of 24.07 and maintained an economy rate of 7.08.