Dubai, September 9 – Title favourites India will begin their Asia Cup T20 campaign on Wednesday against hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Dubai International Stadium. The match, scheduled to start at 8 pm IST, is being seen as a dress rehearsal for the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan on September 14.
India, under head coach Gautam Gambhir, has emphasized the role of all-rounders across formats to ensure batting depth until at least the eighth position. However, the team management is yet to finalize whether to field a third spinner or an additional specialist pacer for the opener.
The return of Shubman Gill has further strengthened the top order, where he will partner Abhishek Sharma. Tilak Varma, who has been in fine form and climbed to second in the T20 world rankings, is likely to take the crucial No. 3 spot, while captain Suryakumar Yadav could bat at either three or four. Hardik Pandya’s presence as a pace-bowling all-rounder remains vital, with Shivam Dube providing an explosive left-handed option in the middle order.
As per agency report, Jitesh Sharma has been preferred over Sanju Samson for the wicketkeeping slot, largely due to his finishing abilities in T20 cricket. He is expected to bat at No. 7, followed by Axar Patel, who offers both spin bowling and handy lower-order batting.
In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah, regarded as India’s finest fast bowler since Kapil Dev, will lead the attack alongside Arshdeep Singh, India’s most successful T20 bowler in recent years. This leaves one bowling spot open, where the management could choose between spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy depending on conditions. With the September fixture expected to offer greener and bouncier wickets compared to March, India’s spin combination will be carefully assessed.
For UAE, this match represents a golden opportunity to test their skills against top-level opposition. Under the guidance of coach Lalchand Rajput, players like Muhammad Waseem, Rahul Chopra, and Simranjeet Singh are eager to make their mark.
The Asia Cup features eight teams divided into two groups, with the top two from each pool advancing to the Super Four stage. The leading sides will then battle for the title in the final on September 14.
India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh.
UAE squad: Muhammad Waseem (captain), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra, Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh, Sagir Khan.
