The much-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9. A total of 8 teams including India and Pakistan will feature in Asia’s premier cricket tournament.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is likely to meet on August 19 to pick India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025. The selectors have a tough task to pick a 15-member squad as India have a large pool of talented players.
India face a complex dilemma in selecting their opening batting pair for the Asia Cup 2025. Not only openers, the competition for back up opener spots is also tough.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes Yashasvi Jaiswal has a slight edge over Shubman Gill in the race for a place in India’s squad for the 2025 Asia Cup. He feels Jaiswal’s game is more suited towards T20.
Notably, Gill and Jaiswal last played a T20I more than a year ago, with Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson becoming the first-choice opening pair.
“It is important that you keep an opener with you because, while counting the previous 15-member squad, there was no third opener in the Indian team. We never thought that if Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson would lose their form, then who would open. But then, you have to keep a third opener for the World Cup
As per T20 figures, Yashasvi is little ahead of Shubman. The way he plays T20 and the DNA of the team, he also marries that style. Sometimes it also happens that if you pick Shubman as the third opener, who is your Test captain, the ODI vice-captain, now you have him on the bench in T20Is, that will not look very nice,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel.
“So the selectors will be thinking that if we are going to select Shubman, then we will have to give him a place in the eleven. Though picking Shubman is tempting, but I feel Yashasvi should be slightly ahead in this race,” he added.
Also Read: All Eyes On India vs Pakistan Clash As Asia Cup 2025 To Be Played From September 9 In UAE
Interestingly, India already has a settled T20I team which features proven performers. So, it will be interesting to see how selectors accommodate players.
“But if that third opener is Shubman, do you want him to sit on the bench? If you don’t make him sit and play in the eleven, who will he come in for? If that player’s name is Sanju Samson, who will keep wickets?” said Chopra.
“That is the problem because we don’t see Sanju Samson playing in the middle order. You would want him at the top of the order. Tilak and Surya will play at number three and four. So, Sanju at fifth? That won’t be a good story. If you want someone at fifth, then you will have to think about Jitesh Sharma because he has done very well in the IPL,” he concluded.