As India gear up to launch their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against co-hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) tonight at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has chimed in with a few sharp words and some genuine questions about the Men in Blue’s team combination.
Appearing on the Outside Edge YouTube channel, Akhtar never one to shy away from speaking his mind – expressed curiosity (and a little confusion) over India’s potential playing XI, given the wealth of talent at their disposal.
“Achha, Abhishek bhi aa gaya? Bumrah bhi hai? Sanju Samson bhi hai, finally. Tilak bhi. Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh bhi hai, Shubman hai, Surya hai, Shivam Dube, apna Axar Patel… yaar, yeh kis ko baahar bithaayenge?”
(Who do they leave out?)
It’s a fair question – captain Suryakumar Yadav and the team management are juggling a surplus of in-form, explosive players. And while it’s a great problem to have, selecting the right XI for a tournament opener can make or break rhythm in a short-format competition like this.
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India’s XI: Too Many Stars, Not Enough Spots?
Akhtar’s point wasn’t just rhetorical. With Shubman Gill returning to T20I cricket after a year, he’s almost a lock to open alongside Abhishek Sharma, pushing Sanju Samson out of the opener’s role – possibly into the middle-order, or maybe out of the XI entirely.
Tilak Varma is expected at No. 3, and Jitesh Sharma looks set to take the finisher’s gloves. Jasprit Bumrah is in the squad and, despite workload management concerns, is expected to feature – especially given that India would want to test their strongest combinations early.
That leaves players like Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, and Arshdeep Singh fighting for a handful of spots. A good headache to have? Yes. But a headache nonetheless.
A Clash of Unequals?
Speaking on the likely result, Akhtar didn’t mince his words. He stated flatly that UAE’s best-case scenario might be damage control.
“See, we know they are going to lose,” Akhtar said. “I just feel that losing by a small margin would be a win for the UAE.”
He also took a dig at Hong Kong, who were thumped by 94 runs by Afghanistan in the opening match of the tournament in Abu Dhabi.
“You had to lose; at least lose close so that you get something. Show some fight,” he added, urging associate nations to compete harder even in the face of expected defeat.
The Bigger Picture
India enter the Asia Cup as defending champions and arguably the tournament’s strongest side on paper. With the T20 World Cup looming next year, every match, every combination, and every role matters.
Akhtar’s remarks while partly tongue-in-cheek – shine a light on a deeper issue: India’s overflowing bench strength, and the challenge of keeping all players sharp, satisfied, and match-ready.
For the UAE, this is more than just a game. It’s an opportunity to test themselves against cricketing giants. And as Akhtar suggested, a narrow defeat could still be seen as a small win.
Final Thoughts
As the sun sets over Dubai and the floodlights switch on, one question echoes from Akhtar’s commentary: “With all this talent, who do you leave out?”
We’ll find out soon enough when Suryakumar Yadav walks out for the toss at 7:30 PM IST. Until then, the debate continues and the excitement builds.
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