Asia Cup 2025: Irfan Pathan Names His India Playing XI – Surprising Opening Pair Revealed

The Asia Cup 2025 is set to begin on September 9, with India facing the UAE in their opening match on the second day. Since the team announcement, there has been much speculation about India's playing XI for the tournament, with various combinations being proposed by cricket enthusiasts and experts alike. Irfan Pathan, the former Indian pacer, has also weighed in on the debate by sharing his strongest XI for the Asia Cup 2025 in a video released on his official YouTube channel.

In his selection, Pathan addressed the ongoing debate around the opening combination. He opted for Abhishek Sharma to partner with Shubman Gill, praising Abhishek's power-hitting skills and match-winning abilities. Pathan expressed his hope that vice-captain Shubman Gill would play the role of a stabilizer, much like Virat Kohli used to do in the past. Despite Sanju Samson's impressive performances over the last year, Pathan did not select him as an opener. Instead, he kept Tilak Varma at number three, citing his international exploits, and added that captain Suryakumar Yadav could bat at number four.

At number five, Pathan considered both Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma. He acknowledged Samson's proficiency against spin and suggested rewarding him for his recent series performances. For the all-rounder roles, Pathan placed Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel at numbers six and seven, respectively. He also mentioned that India could consider Shivam Dube at number eight for an extra batting option. However, he ultimately decided on Kuldeep Yadav at number eight, noting that the choice between Kuldeep and Shivam Dube could depend on the match conditions. Pathan rounded out his XI with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh as the premier pacers, and Varun Chakaravarthy, who has been in excellent form over the past year, as the third spinner.

In summary, Irfan Pathan's playing XI for India in the Asia Cup 2025 is as follows:

• Abhishek Sharma
• Shubman Gill
• Tilak Varma
• Suryakumar Yadav (C)
• Sanju Samson (WK)
• Hardik Pandya
• Axar Patel
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Arshdeep Singh
• Jasprit Bumrah
• Varun Chakaravarthy

Pathan also suggested that India should prefer Sanju Samson as their wicketkeeper over Jitesh Sharma, despite proposing a middle-order position for him, where he has not been as successful in T20 cricket. The team features two pure spinners and pacers, with Hardik, Axar, and Abhishek providing all-round options.

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