The Asia Cup 2025 is underway, and cricket fans are already buzzing with excitement as Team India prepare to kick off their campaign. Led by Suryakumar Yadavthe Men in Blue will face hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai on Wednesday, September 10. With India entering the tournament as one of the firm favorites, all eyes are on the possible team combination that could take the field in their opening clash.

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parathiv patel has weighed in with his thoughts, revealing his preferred XI for the match. Known for his sharp insights as a commentator, Patel has opted for a balanced side that includes both established stars and exciting youngsters.

A blend of youth and experience at the top

According to Patel, the opening duties should fall on vice-captain Shubman Gill and young left-handed batter Abhishek Sharma. While Gill has already established himself as a consistent run-scorer in international cricket, Abhishek has impressed with his fearless approach in limited-overs formats. Patel believes this left-right combination could provide India with the aggressive yet steady start they need in UAE conditions.

At No. 3, he placed Tilak surewho has shown maturity beyond his years, followed by captain Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4. The skipper, renowned for his 360-degree stroke play, will be central to India’s batting strategy in this campaign.

All-rounders strengthen the middle order

Patel has given significant importance to the all-rounders’ role in his XI. He picked Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube as pace-bowling all-rounders, both capable of finishing games with the bat and contributing valuable overs with the ball. Alongside them, Axar Patel has been slotted in as the spin-bowling all-rounder, offering variety and depth to the middle order.

Interestingly, Patel left out power-hitter Rinu Singh and wicketkeeper-batter Sanja Samson. Instead, he chose Jitesh sharma as his designated wicketkeeper. Jitesh’s aggressive batting style and ability to accelerate during the middle and death overs may have given him the edge in Patel’s view.

Balanced bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah

In the bowling department, Patel has gone with a three-pronged pace attack complemented by spin. Jasprit bumrahIndia’s spearhead across formats, leads the attack with left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh providing support in the powerplay and at the death. The inclusion of Varun Chakaravarthy adds a mystery element to India’s spin attack, potentially troubling UAE’s batters on sluggish tracks.

Parthiv Patel’s India XI for Asia Cup clash against UAE: Abhishek Sharma, Shambam Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakaravaryy.