Asia Cup 2025: Suryakumar Yadav’s young India eye title glory

Team India, now under Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy, enter the Asia Cup as a refreshed yet formidable unit.

With stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepping away from T20Is, a new-look side has fully embraced Rohit’s World Cup-winning mantra — attack from the very first ball.

The results so far show that this fearless approach has not only worked but has also redefined India’s T20 game.

India’s campaign begins on September 10 against the UAE, followed by the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash on September 14, before another league meeting with the UAE on September 19. The Super Four stage starts from September 20.

Since lifting the T20 World Cup last year, India have been in outstanding form. In 20 T20Is, they have registered 16 wins, three defeats, and one tie. Their bilateral series record has been spotless:

This streak has made India one of the most consistent T20 outfits heading into the Asia Cup.

Post-World Cup, India have played with a strike rate of 155.83, second only to Australia. Their top order — Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Tilak Varma — has been central to this aggression, collectively striking at 173.08 and smashing 124 sixes, the most by any Test-playing nation’s top three.

India also lead in team centuries, with seven tons, all scored by this trio.

India’s squad has balance in abundance. Abhishek Sharma and Axar Patel provide spin options, while Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube offer pace-hitting firepower along with useful overs, easing pressure on the main attack spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah.

Varun Chakravarthy has been India’s trump card since returning to international cricket. With 31 wickets in 12 innings at an average of 11.25, including two five-wicket hauls, he is currently the most effective T20 spinner across Test-playing nations.

His numbers — best bowling average and strike rate among spinners in this period — make him indispensable.

The comeback of Jasprit Bumrah is arguably India’s biggest boost. The pacer, last seen in T20Is as the Player of the Tournament in the World Cup with 15 wickets in eight games, adds bite and experience.

With Arshdeep Singh’s left-arm angle, Harshit Rana’s pace and bounce, and Hardik’s knack for breakthroughs, India’s pace attack looks more threatening than ever.

While Suryakumar’s leadership has been praised, his batting numbers tell a worrying story. Since the World Cup, he has scored only 258 runs in 14 innings at an average of 18.42, with just two fifties.

Known for his audacious 360-degree strokeplay, India will need him to find his rhythm if they are to clinch the Asia Cup.

Rinku Singh, once hailed as a finisher after his five-sixes IPL heroics, has also faced a dip. He has managed just 130 runs in nine innings at a modest 16.25 average and a strike rate of 126.21.

While his role often comes with risk, India would want more consistency in finishing games.

Vice-captain Shubman Gill is expected to feature in all games, but his inclusion may upset the in-form top three. Gill’s strike rate of 139 is lower than Abhishek, Samson, and Tilak, raising concerns about whether India will tinker with a winning combination.

If Samson is pushed down the order or dropped, it could destabilise a settled line-up. Backup option Jitesh Sharma has also struggled, scoring just 100 runs in seven T20Is at an average of 14.

India head into the Asia Cup with a blend of fearless young hitters, versatile all-rounders, and world-class bowlers. Their form over the past year suggests they are the team to beat. But to lift the trophy, they will need their captain back in touch, their finishers firing, and their top-order combination sorted.

If all clicks, Suryakumar Yadav’s side could well continue India’s dominance and write a new chapter in their T20 journey.

—  With inputs from ANI