Asia Cup 2025: 5 Key Questions for BCCI Selectors Ahead Of India Squad Selection

With the Asia Cup 2025 nearing, India’s selectors face key calls on Suryakumar Yadav’s fitness, middle-order options, and pace attack leadership. Balancing youth and experience will be crucial in finalising a strong and well-rounded squad.

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Burning Questions for BCCI Selectors

Team India will begin their Asia Cup title defence when they take on the hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE), on September 10. The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup will be in a T20 format, keeping in mind next year’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

According to reports, the BCCI selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, are expected to announce the India squad in the third week of August. However, there are key questions for the selection committee before the squad announcement for the prestigious continental tournament.

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1. Who will lead Team India if Suryakumar does not feature?

India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has checked into the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) to begin his recovery and rehabilitation process to regain fitness after surgery on a sports hernia. However, there is no official confirmation yet on his availability for the Asia Cup 2025. Suryakumar’s last appearance in competitive cricket was in the IPL 2025. Since the 34-year-old is still uncertain about his participation in the Asia Cup, the question is, who will lead Team India in case he is not available?

Axar Patel was Suryakumar Yadav’s Deputy in the T20I series against England, and Hardik Pandya was just an all-rounder, though he captained the side in the past. With Axar relatively new to the leadership, having led Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025, it remains to be seen whether the selectors pick the all-rounder as captain or look for an alternative option if Suryakumar Yadav does not get fit in time.

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2. Will Sai Sudharsan find his spot in the squad?

With Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Abhishek Sharma likely to be picked for the Asia Cup, the question is whether Sai Sudharsan will be picked. Though the reports suggested that the selectors are looking at Sudharsan, who was the Orange Cap winner of the last IPL season, as a back-up option, will the selectors take a bold call by rewarding him with his consistent performance in IPL 2025?

In case Jaiswal is picked, he is likely to open alongside Abhishek Sharma, and Shubman Gill is likely to bat No.3, leaving a potential vacancy in the middle-order. Since Sudharsan is a top-order batter, will selectors trust him to adjust the middle-order role or instead opt for someone more established in that position?

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3. Who will lead the pace attack in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence?

Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to be available for the Asia Cup as the selectors and Team India management wanted to manage his workload before the home Test series against West Indies, which will start on October 2. Since Bumrah is expected to be rested, the selectors will have to decide who can shoulder the responsibility to lead the pace attack in the tournament.

Arshdeep Singh has been regular in T20Is, while Harshit Rana is likely to be picked in the squad. Since Mohammed Siraj had a great outing in the Test series against England, where he picked 23 wickets in nine innings, will the selectors be tempted to bring him back into the T20I fold despite his last appearance in the format being in July 2024? If Siraj is rested to manage his red-ball workload, the responsibility is likely to fall on Arshdeep Singh to lead the pace attack.

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4. What about middle-order burdens?

The biggest headache for the selectors will be finalizing the explosive middle-order line-up for the Asia Cup 2025. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav (if available) are the front-runners, but with SKY’s fitness still uncertain, the selectors will have to find a capable middle-order batter. Shreyas Iyer has often been showcased as a reliable middle-order and his return to the T20I fold is likely on the cards, while Sanju Samson remains a wicketkeeper‑batter candidate.

Rinku Singh and Riyan Parag could be in contention for the middle-order. Since the Asia Cup will be played in the UAE, where slower pitches are expected, the selection committee and team management might prefer batters who could rotate strike and accelerate the innings.

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5. Will Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi both make the cut?

Kuldeep Yadav was in the focus throughout the Test series against England, as he did not get a single game, while Ravi Bishnoi has been in the scheme of things for the T20Is. Varun Chakravarthy is expected to be included in the squad and likely to lead the spin attack, given his remarkable comeback to T20Is since the Bangladesh series.

However, with only two specialist spinners and a spin bowling all-rounder likely to be picked in the squad due to balance constraints, the selectors will have to decide between Kuldeep’s experience and Bishnoi’s control in the middle-overs. This is likely one of the toughest calls for the selectors, as each spinner brings a distinct skill set to the table. Since the UAE pitches are expected to aid spin, the selection will boil down to the team’s tactical preference.