The 2025 season of the Asia Cup is knocking on the door as most teams have started their last-minute preparation. India, since the end of the fifth Test of the five-match series against England at the Kennington Oval, hasn’t played any competitive game and will turn up straight into the event.

They will be back in action in the T20 format of the Asia Cup. Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates are preparing for a tri-series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, while Sri Lanka is facing Zimbabwe in an away T20I series. India’s opening game against the Arab Emirates will be on September 10 in Abu Dhabi.

Shubman Gill, after his famous 750+ run series in the United Kingdom during the summer, has returned to the shortest format with an additional responsibility of T20I captaincy. Suryakumar Yadav is the leader of the group, as Jitesh Sharma, the wicket-keeper batter, is expected to come at number six in the batting line-up.

Let’s take a look at the top 3 players to watch from India ahead of Asia Cup 2025.

3. Hardik Pandya

India’s premier pace bowling all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, brings the best balance to the team in the shortest format. With his ability, he can bat at number six in the lower order and can also offer four overs with the ball in the middle order. That provided the management with the option to play either an extra batter or bowler in the eleven.

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Overall, Hardik has smashed 1812 runs in 90 innings of T20Is at an average of 27.87 and a strike rate of 141.67, with the help of five half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 71 runs. In the bowling department, the right-arm pacer has picked up 94 wickets in 102 innings at an average of 26.43 and an economy rate of 8.20, thanks to the best figure of 4/16 in an inning.

During the IPL 2025, for the Mumbai Indians, Hardik smashed 224 runs in 12 innings at an average of 24.88 and a strike rate of 163.50 with the best score of unbeaten 48 runs. With the ball, he collected 14 wickets at an economy rate of under 10.

In T20s, Hardik has overall drilled 5575 runs in 263 innings at an average of just under 30 and a strike rate of 142.47 with 21 fifties, while with the ball, he has picked 204 wickets at an average of 28.11 in 242 innings.

2. Suryakumar Yadav

India’s T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, is known for his aggressive batting skills in the shortest format of the game. At number four, the right-handed batter has displayed all the power and skills to blossom in batting.

In 79 innings of the shortest format, Sky has smashed 2598 runs at an average of 42.33 and a strike rate of 167.07, thanks to four centuries and 21 half-centuries at the best score of 117 runs. On the other hand, in overall T20s, he has clubbed 8620 runs in 301 innings at an average of 35.47 and a strike rate of 153.32 with six centuries and 59 fifties.

During the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League, the Mumbai batter has got 717 runs in just 16 innings at an average of 65.18 and a strike rate of 167.91 with five fifties at the best score of unbeaten 73 runs.

3. Jasprit Bumrah

The premier pacer of the Blue Brigade, Jasprit Bumrah, is the best all-format bowler in world cricket. Whether it’s about bowling with the new ball inside the powerplay, or in the middle overs, or at the death, the Ahmedabad-born has displayed his various skills.

On T20Is, the right-arm pacer has picked up 89 wickets in 69 innings at an average of under 18 and a strike rate of 16.9 with an economy rate of just over six, thanks to the best figures of 3/7. His contribution with the ball during the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa in Barbados was a prime example of how vital the player is for the Blue Brigade.

During the IPL 2025, the Gujarat bowler collected 18 wickets in 12 innings at an average of under 18 and a strike rate of 15.7 with an economy rate of 6.67, thanks to the best bowling figure of 4/22 in an innings. In the overall 244 T20 innings, he has grabbed 313 scalps in an average of 20.22 and an economy rate of under seven.

If these three players of the Indian team do well in the batting and bowling departments, the Blue Brigade will have the best chance to defend their title, which they won during the 2023 Asia Cup in the 50-over version. The vital game will be against Pakistan on September 14 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the UAE.

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has made some big statements about Sanju Samson and his role in Team India. Keeping an eye on the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, Chopra expressed his thoughts, focusing on the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Currently, Team India has multiple contenders in the form of wicketkeeper-batsmen like Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant, Jitesh Sharma, or even KL Rahul. Pant is now out of the field because of injury. Chopra's primary concern is about Samson's batting stats. The cricketer from Kerala has been effective as an opener or in the top order. But as a middle-order batter, his stats are not impressive. BCCI included Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, and Sanju Samson, three natural openers, in the Asia Cup 2025 setup.

There are chances that the team management can send Sharma and Gill as the opening pair and Samson as a middle-order batter, where he struggled in the past. Even in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL 2025) with Kochi Blue Tigers, Samson missed his flair when he came to bat from the middle order and started to score tons of runs as soon as he started to play as an opener, which is his comfort zone. 

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Reasons behind Chopra's concern for Samson 

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opined, "Sanju Samson is the first contender (2026 T20I World Cup) because he played the last series. He has struck three centuries in the last 12 matches. He is also a part of the team at the moment. So, of course, he will be the first guy to talk about. If we see his numbers at Nos. 1 to 3 in all T20s, he has scored more than 6000 runs at a strike rate of 140 and an average of 33. These are really good numbers at Nos. 1 to 3." 

He continued, "So Sanju Samson is a real contender if you want a keeper in the top three. When I look at his numbers at Nos. 4 to 7, he has played 98 matches and has an average of 20 and a strike rate of 126. Neither the strike rate nor the average looks very good at Nos. 4 to 7. You would have kept Sanju as a frontrunner at the top. However, suddenly, when you change his number, he will go down in the list."

Team India batter Rinku Singh has revealed his plans about the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 and his personal relationship with Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir. The explosive batter has been in stunning form in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh T20 League, where he already claimed 332 runs in 10 matches at an average of 66.40 for Meerut Mavericks.

After his push in India's limited overs squad, Singh's career graph gradually slowed down a bit, which raised some concerns about his inclusion in the Asia Cup 2025 squad. BCCI selectors have high hopes about the lower-middle-order batter, and they named the Uttar Pradesh-born in the team. During a recent interview, he was asked about his role in the upcoming prestigious tournament with the Men in Blue. Rinku, with a smile, replied that we'll have a conversation with Gambhir about his role in the tournament.

"Not yet. Once I go to Dubai, I’ll have a big conversation with him (laughs). Till now, we haven’t spoken about anything. I’m just very excited to meet him and learn from him. His support in my career has been immense," Rinku Singh said. 

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Rinku Singh praised Gautam Gambhir 

During the IPL 2024 season, he got the chance to work with Gambhir, who was then the mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders, to guide them for another successful season. Rinku said that Gambhir is someone who stands for his boys. Whether it is batting, mental support, or training, Gambhir's working method mesmerized Rinku. 

"When I first met him at KKR, he gave me so much confidence. I had a brief session with him where he spoke to me about pull shots. He always backs his players, and that feels really good. He’ll come, talk to you, and inject confidence. He’s a man with a lot of knowledge. I’ve enjoyed working with him—whether it’s batting, talking, or training. It’s always fun to share things with him. I’m really eager to play under his coaching again. "It’s a special feeling to share the dressing room with a legend like GG, sir," he added.

Since its start in 1984, the Asia Cup—Asia's own cricketing tournament—has served as a desired destination for intense rivalries, thrilling milestones, and unforgettable finals. Like all things cricket, the Asia Cup is the only continental championship where cricketing giants in the Asian region (i.e., India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan) compete for regional supremacy. The Asia Cup has shifted between both ODI and T20 formats in the previous editions, making the tournament even more exhilarating and unpredictable for fans around the globe.

Over the course of the history of the Asia Cup, there are three teams that continued to dominate the history of the tournament (India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan). India sits on top of the pile in the most championships earned category, and if you break it down between both formats, India consistently shows an ability to win. Sri Lanka sits behind India with six total championships, which shows that they also have committed to this region's tradition of winning finals matches. When you turn attention to Pakistan, while they have not been consistent winners of the Asia Cup, they are still able to mark down their spot in history. Bangladesh and Afghanistan have not yet won a title and continue to compete for their first championship, which adds even more excitement every new edition!

Asia Cup Winners By Year

• 1984 - India
  India claimed their first Asia Cup title, in Sharjah (UAE), with Sunil Gavaskar as their captain.
• 1986 - Sri Lanka
  Sri Lanka recorded their first Asia Cup title by winning the final against Pakistan in Colombo.
• 1988 - India
  India added to their Asia Cup pedigree by winning their second title.
• 1990-91 - India
  Sri Lanka's Asia Cup success was eclipsed by India, who added their third crown in total and second consecutive title.
• 1995 - India
  Consistent performances secured India their fourth Asia Cup title.
• 1997 - Sri Lanka 
  Sri Lanka, on the back of strong home performances across the tournament, recorded their second title.
• 2000 - Pakistan
  Pakistan entered into the arena, winning their first Asia Cup title against Sri Lanka in a nail-biting final in Dhaka.
• 2004 - Sri Lanka
  The island nation lifted their third title on home soil by beating India in the final.
• 2008 - Sri Lanka
  Unbelievable batting performances from all batsmen led Sri Lanka to their fourth Asia Cup title in Pakistan.
• 2010 – India  
  India won their fifth title against Sri Lanka in the final at Dambulla.
• 2012 – Pakistan  
  The second edition of the tournament took place in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, where it only brought with it a trophy won narrowly by Pakistan.
• 2014 – Sri Lanka  
  Sri Lanka won their fifth title by winning the final against Pakistan held at Dhaka.
• 2016 – India (T20)  
  India won the Asia Cup in its first T20 format in Bangladesh.
• 2018 – India  
  India won their seventh title, finishing on the last ball against Bangladesh in Dubai.
• 2022 – Sri Lanka (T20)  
  Sri Lanka won their first T20 Asia Cup in Dubai, defeating Pakistan in a final.
• 2023 – India  
  With India winning the Asia Cup for the eighth time, India continues its reign at the top.

Here are the champions so far in Asia Cup history 🏆

Can we see a new champion in the T20 Asia Cup 2025? 👀#Cricket #AsiaCup #T20 #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/n737G6F0k6

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) August 30, 2025

See Also: Know dates, timings, and venues of all matches in Asia Cup 2025

Will we see a new champion in the T20 Asia Cup 2025?

The Asia Cup has been largely dominated by just three giants in cricket—India (8 titles), Sri Lanka (6 titles), and Pakistan (2 titles). The boards of these three nations played a huge hand in forming the tournament, and they seemed to determine some decision-making in how and why the Asia Cup takes place. Yet as Bangladesh and Afghanistan have emerged as increased forces in the men's game, we have at least seen some increased energy and interest in this tournament by those two nations. Both teams have made finals or forced the bigger names in international cricket to play hard to win, but neither has been able to finish. The T20 Asia Cup 2025 offers another golden opportunity for either of these teams to shake loose the monopolistic grip of the familiar champion and create history. 

The unpredictability of T20 cricket leaves the door wide open for new outcomes. In Bangladesh's case, they have some experience, albeit not enough, as cricket is now becoming a "big stage" game. With plenty of talent and world-class spinners and fearless batters, Afghanistan can also cause some quick devastation. If either of these teams can control their nerves in a knockout stage match, then watch out for the heartbreak of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India, as it may be their turn to hand over the trophy to a new champion. And in that moment, all cricket fans will be waiting for the question—"Will we see the same winner again (India, Sri Lanka, or Pakistan) or a new winner in 2025?"

The Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 is set to begin on September 9 in Abu Dhabi, where Afghanistan will take on Hong Kong in the opening clash. The tournament will feature 19 matches in total, with Dubai hosting 11 games, including the grand finale on September 29, while Abu Dhabi will stage the remaining eight fixtures.

This edition is historic as it is the first Asia Cup to feature eight teams in the T20I format. Group A includes India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman, whereas Group B comprises Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong, designed as part of preparations leading up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.

The upcoming Men’s T20 Asia Cup will see a slight shift in its match timings to tackle the harsh weather in the UAE. Out of the 19 scheduled fixtures, 18, including the all-important final, will now begin half an hour later than initially planned.

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The High Voltage IND-PAK Match’s Time to Reschedule:

The decision comes after weather experts predicted that daytime temperatures could soar into the 40s during September in the region. Organizers felt the adjustment was necessary to ensure better playing conditions and to safeguard both players and spectators from the extreme heat.

As a result, all day-night encounters have been pushed forward. Originally set for 7:30 pm IST (6:00 pm local), the matches will now start at 8:00 pm IST (6:30 pm local) after organizers confirmed a change in the schedule. This rescheduling is expected to make conditions more manageable and allow players to perform at their best during the high-profile eight-team competition.

All of India’s group-stage games, along with any potential knockout fixtures, will follow the revised schedule, starting at 8:00 PM IST. This adjustment not only avoids extreme weather conditions but also ensures a more comfortable viewing experience for fans tuning in from home.

The highly awaited India vs Pakistan encounter in the Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled for Sunday, September 14, at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, promising an electrifying contest for cricket fans worldwide. After several discussions and scheduling changes, the tournament organizers confirmed the new timing, adding extra excitement to the high-voltage encounter between the two cricketing giants.

The craze and anticipation for the upcoming 2025 season of the Asia Cup are getting higher. Most of the Asian sides will get the best opportunity for thei preparation ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. The co-host side, India, who are also the defending champions of the event, will be under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav. 

The competition will begin on September 09 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi between Afghanistan and Hong Kong. The pre-scheduled date revealed that the games would begin at 07:30 pm IST. However, the reports claimed that there would be changes.

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It has been addressed that the team's evening games of the event will now begin at 8 pm IST. This has been done with a view to the hot weather conditions in the UAE. A request has also been made to the broadcasters. They seem to be happy with the agreement.

Updated dates, timing, and venues of all matches in Asia Cup 2025

There are speculations on India taking on their arch-rivals, the Green Brigade, on September 14 in Dubai. However, the Indian sports ministry has made it clear that they won’t have any problem in these two sides featuring in multi-nation events.

Updated dates, timings and venues in Asia Cup 2025 matches

It was a very surprising decision from the selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) when they appointed the Test captain of the Blue Brigade as their new vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which starts on September 09 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) across two venues- Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Many reckoned that Axar Patel should have been the new vice-captain of the side after getting the leadership during the previous home T20I series against England. However, most of them forgot that Hardik Pandya was the leader of the side when Rohit Sharma, the former leader, used to take breaks. The former Indian all-rounder, Suresh Raina, has expressed his wish to see the Baroda player as the new Indian leader.

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“Gill is anyway ahead of Shreyas Iyer (for captaincy), but in white-ball cricket, I think Hardik Pandya will do a lot of good as a captain. He has the experience of Kapil Dev with performances in the batting, bowling, and fielding departments. He is a very positive guy. He is also the captain and gives me a glimpse of Mahi bhai. The way he conducts the team is something I like a lot.” Raina expressed during a podcast video with Shubhankar Mishra.

Suresh Raina wants Hardik Pandya to lead India in T20 World Cup 2026

The 31-year-old pace all-rounder has overall smashed 1812 runs in 90 innings at an average of 27.87 and a strike rate of 141.67, besides picking up 94 wickets at an average of 26.43 and a strike rate of 19.3 and an economy rate of just over eight with the best bowling figure of 4/16 in an inning.

Statements by Suresh Raina:
- Gill over Iyer any day
- Hardik will do miracles as captain
- He has Kapil dev level experience
- He is a player's Captain
- He gives me glimpses of MS Dhoni

Anyways Hardik is always there as a leader,Target Asia cup and T20wc ❤️ pic.twitter.com/c28RZtTQvz

— Nenu (@Nenu_yedavani) August 30, 2025

Hardik was one of the biggest reasons for India winning the T20 World Cup. His inclusion brought balance in the playing eleven as he gave the option of batting at number six and also contributed with four overs in the middle.

During the 2025 season of the IPL, the veteran smashed 224 runs at an average of 24.88 and a strike rate of 163.50, with the best score of unbeaten 48 runs, besides bagging 14 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 24.42. He will look to hold the same rhythm during the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.

India’s veteran ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, is featuring in only one format in international cricket, having already taken retirement from the shortest and longest formats of the game in the span of a year. His T20I retirement came after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the Test retirement shocked the fans just before the Test series against England.

The Nagpur-born will be among the seven players to undergo the pre-season fitness test at the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, as he aims to be part of the Blue Brigade during the three-match ODI series against Australia down under in October. Along with him, several Indian players are also likely to hit the ground before the Asia Cup 2025.

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India’s Test captain, Shubman Gill, premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur are also expected to be part of the group. A DEXA scan, used to test bone density, will be part of the pre-season test along with the blood tests.

Rohit Sharma to undergo fitness test at BCCI’s CoE before Australia series

However, there is no charity on the other veteran batter of the national side, Virat Kohli, who, just like Rohit, has also hung up his shoes from the T20Is and Tests. He would also need to undergo the fitness tests before the Australia series, as he will take the field for the first time since the end of the IPL 2025, playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru when they won their maiden title.

“All players have to undergo a pre-season fitness Test, it’s mandatory as per the contract. These tests help the COE understand the areas the players have to work on or where they are lacking. As there was a big break (after the England Test series), the players were given sets of exercises to do at home.” The BCCI official, as quoted by the Indian Express.

“Look, we take these tests (Yo Yo, sprint, power, Dexa) as part of our assessments. It helps us get an idea about an athlete’s condition. For us as professionals, we are responsible for presenting benchmarks that are challenging yet achievable after having reviewed the team’s fitness standard.” India’s former strength and conditioning coach, Soham Desai, revealed why these programs are vital for the players before any series.

India vice-captain Shubman Gill will arrive in Bengaluru today to begin his training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in preparation for the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE. The 25-year-old opener, who has recently recovered from a bout of viral flu, had to miss the first round of the Duleep Trophy, but he is now fit and ready to play. 

Gill had light gym sessions in Mohali and a short net hit earlier this week, but heavy rain in North India limited his practice as he prepared for the Asia Cup. So travelling to Bengaluru made sense because he could work through routine testing and get ready for cricket before joining the rest of the group. 

There has also been an expectation that Gill would fly directly to Dubai from Bengaluru, where other players from the Asia Cup-bound squad will also be assembling. The Indian team will eventually land in Dubai on September 4, where they have scheduled training from September 5. Their opening game is on September 10 against the hosts United Arab Emirates.

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India Squad – Asia Cup 2025:

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh

Tournament Schedule

Group Stage Matches:

• September 10 – India vs United Arab Emirates
• September 14 – India vs Pakistan
• September 19 – India vs Oman

Potential Super 4 Matches (if India qualify):

• September 21 – A1 vs A2 (Possible India vs Pakistan)
• September 23 – A2 vs B1
• September 24 – A1 vs B2
• September 25 – A2 vs B2
• September 26 – A1 vs B1

Final:

• September 28 – Final (Top 2 teams from Super 4)

The Asia Cup 2025 is not just a regional tournament; it’s also a key preparation ground for next year’s ICC events. For Gill, who has been in top form over the past year, this tournament provides another chance to cement his leadership role in Indian cricket alongside Surya.

With Dubai set as India’s base and match-day travel plans already in place, the team looks geared up for a high-intensity tournament. All eyes will now be on Gill as he begins his journey from Bengaluru to lead India’s batting charge in the Asia Cup.

This time around, Team India will take the field at the Asia Cup 2025 with no sponsor's logo on their shirts for the first time in over a decade. The absence of a kit sponsor follows Dream11's recent termination agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This came after the introduction of the new Online Gaming Bill 2025, which bans real-money gaming companies from sponsoring its national cricket team, and because of this, Dream11 ended its ₹358 crore deal that the company signed in July 2023 for multiple years. 

With the tournament commencing on September 9 in the UAE, the BCCI indicated it does not have enough time to come to terms with a new sponsorship agreement. The BCCI did have discussions with some international brands, including Toyota and a top fintech start-up, but decided not to rush into a temporary sponsorship. Board officials will focus on a long-term sponsor that will cover major ICC tournaments, including the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Team India Jerseys to Be Sponsorless in Asia Cup 2025

At a recent Apex Council meeting, chaired by interim president Rajeev Shukla looked for stability, not precipitate sponsorship. They believe that even if they secure a sustainable, multi-year deal, it will provide them with better commercial value and reliability regarding the branding of the team.

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The decision comes with a cost, and visually. Not having a sponsor means loss of revenue for the board, which makes six hundred crores annually from jersey sponsorship, typically. The jerseys will look awful for the fans of the Indian team without a logo on the jerseys - cricket, as we know it in the modern age for fans has logos on the jerseys. 

However, BCCI believes that this step is an investment into the future as it holds out from signing a quick deal, and sends a signal to potential partners that they want to have premium, long-term associations with brands. 

India goes into the Asia Cup sponsorless, and this episode stands to highlight the changing nature of sports sponsorships (in India). Tighter regulations, changing market processes, and evolving consumer habits on how consumers interact with sponsors will require more stability on the commercial front when cricket teams associate with brands. There may be a visible loss in the short term, but BCCI is hoping the same quality will yield larger payoffs down the road.