India’s T20I setup is still among the best in the world of cricket. Their array of batting and bowling talents covers almost every base. Yet, they still have one ongoing question, and that is the lack of an established No. 8 who can hit sixes consistently and contribute more than a small number of runs with the bat.
India’s Batting Strength: So Good That Yashasvi Jaiswal Misses Out
India’s batting depth is so formidable that even Yashasvi Jaiswal, probably the most destructive young opener in international cricket, isn’t in the squad for the Asia Cup! Jaiswal is unlucky, but his non-selection shows how much competition there is for spots rather than his form or ability.
With Shubman Gill returning as vice-captain and opener, paired with the aggressive Abhishek Sharma, India seems to have locked in their top-order pair.
While Sanju Samson has performed well in limited opportunities as an opener, Gill has the upper hand on strike rate, having struck at a staggering 155.87 for IPL 2025.
Another point of discussion is the non-selection of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had some scintillating starts and also provides the left-handed option. This was a difficult decision for the selectors to make and shows just how deep India’s batting pool is in this instance.
Balanced Middle Order and Left-Right Combinations
India’s top order is pretty clearly mapped out: Tilak Varma maintains his position despite Severe Pressure from Shreyas Iyer, and Suryakumar Yadav will captain the team with him. The left-handers and the right-handers are also designed to throw off an opponent’s rhythm too, and assign match-ups in attack.
Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma offer options for the middle order, and then there are the all-rounders in the form of Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel. This setup allows the team to make small adjustments where necessary according to form, conditions, and opposition.
Bowling Core: Strong and Familiar
The bowling attack is still fueled by Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy, with Arshdeep Singh being a major backup. This veteran trio provides pace, variation, and spin mystery to the side, and India has more than enough to select from depending on conditions.
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No. 8 – India’s Only Weak Link in a Power-Packed Line-Up
India’s only real concern lies at the No. 8 position. The ideal player here needs to offer genuine bowling ability and six-hitting power, a rare combination.
Prasidh Krishna, who took 25 wickets at an economy of 8.27 in IPL 2025 is left out, the reason; his poor batting ability. India don’t want a repeat of Gujarat Titans’ mistakes in the IPL where Rashid Khan was left with no support after No. 7.
Harshit Rana has been chosen instead, on the strength of his first-class batting figures and six-hitting potential. While his T20 and List A strike rates (105.35 and 75.7) aren’t exactly eye-catching, his 27 sixes in 595 first-class deliveries provide selectors optimism that he can some day emerge as a power-hitting No. 8.
Vipraj Nigam and Shivam Dube – Options for the Future?
If Harshit disappoints with the bat, India can look at alternatives such as Vipraj Nigam, who showed promise with eight sixes in 79 balls during IPL 2025, while also being economical with the ball.
Another alternative is to compromise on bowling depth and play Shivam Dube, who could contribute explosive finishing but would compel India to depend on part-timers like Abhishek, Axar, Hardik, and Dube for eight overs. As a consequence this would lessen bowling attack possibly losing one of the mystery spinners unless conditions helpful to spinners occur.
India’s T20I Depth: A Dream Having to Make Tough Decisions
With an undefeated campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup and a team full of proven match-winners, India find themselves in an enviable position. However, the exclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal underscores how even top players are finding it difficult to gain space in the playing XI.
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India’s Probable XI for Asia Cup 2025
Abhishek Sharma
Shubman Gill (vice-captain)
Tilak Varma
Suryakumar Yadav (skipper)
Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper)
Hardik Pandya
Axar Patel
Harshit Rana
Kuldeep Yadav
Jasprit Bumrah
Varun Chakravarthy
Reserve: Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Turn Will Arrive
Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal being one of India’s brightest T20 prospects, the current squad balance and strategy have left him out — for now. However, with multiple opportunities between now and the 2026 T20 World Cup, there’s every chance he could bounce back stronger.
India’s only challenge lies in fine-tuning the No. 8 position, and once that’s addressed, they could well be the most complete T20I side in the world.
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