Team India’s all-rounder Shivam Dube was rested for the Super 4 encounter against Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday, September 26. Despite his absence, the Men in Blue extended their unbeaten streak in the Asia Cup 2025, clinching a nail-biting win in a super over to set up their final group clash against Pakistan.

Dube’s inclusion in the XI has often been a topic of debate, as it has limited Arshdeep Singh’s opportunities throughout the tournament. While the all-rounder has only faced 18 deliveries so far, he has made an impact with the ball, claiming five wickets, including a decisive spell against Pakistan in the Super 4 stage.

However, India’s team combination for the final is uncertain due to multiple injury concerns from the Sri Lanka game and Arshdeep’s brilliance in the death overs. Captain Suryakumar Yadav now faces a tough selection call, with Dube’s role under the spotlight.

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Why is Shivam Dube Important for the IND vs PAK Asia Cup Final?

With the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan approaching, team balance becomes crucial for India. Shivam Dube’s all-round abilities could play a vital role. Here are three key reasons why recalling him for the high-pressure clash would benefit India.

• India must stay focused on their original strategy despite Sri Lanka scare

Recency bias often plays a role in shaping opinions, especially after Arshdeep Singh’s excellent performance against Sri Lanka. While his brilliance at the death was commendable, the team management already knew his capabilities. His absence wasn’t due to oversight but a tactical move to prioritize balance by keeping Shivam Dube in the XI.

India has consistently trusted this combination in important matches, and it has proven effective on multiple occasions. One tight finish in what was essentially a dead rubber doesn’t mean the approach is flawed. Instead, it highlights the thin margins in high-pressure contests rather than suggesting wholesale changes.

The decision to back Dube was made with full awareness of the trade-offs involved. His role offers depth with both bat and ball, solving bigger concerns for the team. A single game shouldn’t undo the carefully thought-out strategy, especially since India wasn’t drastically better after altering the balance.

• India must strengthen their middle-order depth to maximize stability

India may have remained unbeaten in the Asia Cup 2025, but their dominance has not been flawless. Much of the batting has revolved around Abhishek Sharma, who has contributed over 40% of the team’s runs. On the bowling side, Jasprit Bumrah and the spinners have carried most of the workload.

The real concern has been India’s middle order, which has struggled to adapt against the older ball. Despite these challenges, the side has often managed to recover, thanks to the depth in their batting lineup. This balance has allowed them to stay competitive even in tough match situations.

There may be a strong case for including Arshdeep Singh to strengthen the bowling, but India’s middle order is already struggling for form. Suryakumar Yadav is enduring a lean patch, Sanju Samson is still adjusting, and both Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel have not delivered consistently at the death.

With Jitesh Sharma unavailable, Shivam Dube remains the only realistic option to provide stability and balance. India’s greatest strength lies in their ability to keep playing aggressive cricket regardless of conditions, and that is possible only when their batting depth remains intact. Sacrificing it for an extra bowler could backfire.

• Shivam Dube’s role crucial to counter Pakistan spinners during middle overs

In recent matches against Pakistan, India’s batting unit—barring Abhishek Sharma—appeared unusually cautious when facing spin. The middle order struggled to rotate strike or build pressure, allowing Pakistan’s spinners to control long passages of play effectively.

Abrar Ahmed, in particular, proved difficult to handle. In the group stage, he bowled his full quota, conceding just 16 runs without picking up a wicket. Later, in the Super 4 stage encounter, he was even more economical, giving away only 10 runs in two overs. His tight spells highlighted India’s vulnerability and underlined the need for a more proactive approach in the middle overs.

India cannot afford to let Pakistan’s mystery spinner dictate the middle overs, and they need a designated batter to counter him. Shivam Dube, despite his failed experiment at No. 3 against Bangladesh, fits the profile with his reach and six-hitting ability against spin.

While Tilak Varma is another left-handed option, his strike rate of 122.85 across 70 balls shows he hasn’t been fully effective. Axar Patel has better numbers with a strike rate of 150, but his limited sample size doesn’t make him a reliable choice.

Dube’s returns in the Asia Cup 2025 haven’t been exceptional, but his proven capability against spinners makes him a tempting option. Interestingly, India remain unbeaten in T20Is since 2019 whenever Dube has featured.