The upcoming Asia Cup 2025 has sparked plenty of debates around India’s team combination, especially over who should occupy the all-important No. 8 spot. Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes India could turn to their trusted left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, rather than simply strengthening the batting order.
With India set to begin their campaign against UAE in Dubai on September 10, the balance of the playing XI has become a talking point. Gavaskar, speaking in a virtual interaction ahead of the tournament, outlined why he feels Kuldeep could be the right fit.
The Big Question: Batting Depth or Bowling Strength?
India’s squad, led by Suryakumar Yadav, looks well-rounded with depth in both batting and bowling. However, the No. 8 slot is where the puzzle lies. Should India go for another batter to extend the line-up or prioritize an additional bowler?
According to Gavaskar:
“My feeling is that they might look to go with maybe an Axar Patel at seven and not extend the batting to eight and look for the bowlers. Maybe Kuldeep at eight and then nine, ten and eleven, your three fast bowlers.”
This approach, he explained, provides a six-bowler attack with Hardik Pandya doubling up as the fourth seamer and Kuldeep complementing Axar as the second spinner.
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Why Gavaskar Prefers Six Bowlers
Gavaskar made a valid point about balance:
“So it actually makes it four fast bowlers when you include Hardik Pandya and two spinners as six bowlers in your team, which is always very good to have because sometimes if one bowler is having a bad day, you want somebody else who can come in and bowl for him.”
In T20 cricket, flexibility in bowling options is often more valuable than an extra batter who might never get to the crease. Many top sides, like Australia and England, regularly back their top seven to do the bulk of the scoring and rely on bowlers who can chip in with cameos at the end. India could adopt a similar strategy here.
Kuldeep’s Case for Selection
Kuldeep Yadav remains one of India’s most effective T20 bowlers. Since his debut, he has scalped 69 wickets in 40 T20Is, a strike rate that few wrist-spinners in world cricket can match.
- His last appearance in the shortest format came in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where India defeated South Africa to lift the trophy.
- Though he did not feature in the recent Test series against England, his white-ball record continues to make him a strong contender.
Including him would give India a proven wicket-taker in the middle overs — a phase often decisive in T20 matches.
The Varun Chakaravarthy Factor
However, competition for the spinner’s slot is stiff. Gavaskar acknowledged that Varun Chakaravarthy could also be in the frame for the UAE clash.
“I think it will depend to a great extent on the batting that he’s got to be bowling to. Like, what kind of batters in the opposition team, do they have left handers, or right handers? So it’s depending a great deal on that. I think Varun Chakaravarthy could pip him to the position in the first match.”
Chakaravarthy’s mystery spin offers a different skill set compared to Kuldeep’s left-arm wrist spin. Depending on the opposition’s batting mix, India might rotate between the two to maximize matchup advantages.
Possible Spin-Bowling Combinations
Gavaskar also floated another interesting option:
“Or maybe even now they’ll play Varun, Kuldeep, Axar as the three spinners, play two new ball bowlers and Hardik Pandya as the third new ball bowler. So they still have six bowlers and I think maybe they might do that as well.”
This would mean a spin-heavy attack, something that could be effective on UAE pitches known to assist slow bowlers, especially under lights.
India’s Key Takeaways from Asia Cup 2025
The Asia Cup is not just about winning the title. For India, it is also a platform to address two big questions ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup on home soil:
1. Identifying Reliable Finishers
Gavaskar highlighted the need for India to settle on consistent end-overs hitters:
“It will probably be who can be the finisher for them. That is something that at the moment, they are not very certain about because they have got so many options. They have got Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube as a finisher. Then Hardik Pandya and Tilak Verma can play the role of a finisher.”
Having multiple candidates is a good problem, but India must narrow it down to two or three dependable names before the World Cup.
2. Sharpening Death Bowling
The other area of concern is death-over execution. While Jasprit Bumrah is a certainty for two overs at the back end, Gavaskar noted the need to identify who partners him in that crucial phase. Options include Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Mukesh Kumar, but consistency will be the key.
Final Thoughts
Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion in India’s XI will likely hinge on conditions and match-ups rather than form alone. Gavaskar’s analysis points toward a strategy where India backs their batting top-seven and focuses on a varied six-bowler attack.
If pitches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi turn slow and assist spin, expect Kuldeep to feature heavily. But if India prefer mystery spin against certain opponents, Varun Chakaravarthy could get the nod. Either way, the Asia Cup will be a vital testing ground for India’s bowling blueprint and Kuldeep Yadav’s role could be central to that plan.
