New Delhi, Aug 22: For nearly two years, India’s T20I side has carried the air of invincibility. The team’s rise to world champions was not a result of individual brilliance alone, but of a carefully crafted strategy – a combination that gave them both batting depth and bowling variety.
Yet, in naming their squad for the 2025 Asia Cup, India’s selectors appear to have veered away from the very formula that delivered them success at the highest stage.
The team management, now under Gautam Gambhir’s stewardship, has chosen to back Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube. With that decision locked, the selectors had the option of picking one between Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shreyas Iyer. They went with Gill, perhaps with an eye on grooming him as an all-format leader in the future. While that decision has merit, the broader concern lies elsewhere – in how India has chosen to assemble its squad for the continental event.
Lessons from the past
Rewind to the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad, where India’s campaign faltered on the biggest night. The injuries to Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya had left India short of their preferred all-round options. Axar’s absence forced compromises with R Ashwin and Shardul Thakur, while Pandya’s injury meant Ravindra Jadeja was left carrying the all-rounder’s burden alone. Mohammed Shami’s devastating wicket-taking spree helped mask the imbalance for most of the tournament, but against Australia in the final, India’s lack of batting depth was brutally exposed after three early wickets. With no insurance policy at No.8, the middle order froze, unable to take risks, and the dream unravelled.
India learned from that heartbreak. By the 2024 T20 World Cup, with Pandya and Axar back, they returned to their formula: five frontline batters including the wicketkeeper, three all-rounders, and three specialist bowlers. It worked like a charm. Jadeja’s mere presence as an “insurance cricketer” allowed the top order freedom to attack while ensuring the side had a sixth bowling option. He bowled only 14 overs and faced 22 balls in the entire tournament, but his role was invaluable. India stormed through eight matches unbeaten, lifting the World Cup.
That winning model was not restricted to T20Is. The same structure, adapted smartly, guided India through the 2025 Champions Trophy as well. With Pandya, Axar, and Jadeja all available, the team did not lose a single game on their way to the title. But Jadeja has since stepped away from T20Is. And with Rahul Dravid passing the baton to Gambhir, there has been a noticeable shift in approach.
Gambhir’s new path
Known from his IPL stints with Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders for backing batting depth above all else, Gambhir has brought that same philosophy to the national side. Under him, India rarely compromised on batting numbers. In Sri Lanka, the balance shifted from the tried-and-tested 5+3+3 model to a 7+1+3 structure – essentially seven batters, one all-rounder, and three bowlers – with part-timers filling in overs.
The risks of this strategy were exposed late in 2024 during a tour of South Africa. Twice, India’s top order collapsed – 15/3 in Gqeberha and 45/4 in Durban. With little depth behind them, Axar and Pandya were forced into defensive roles, resulting in modest totals that proved insufficient. The selectors responded by dropping a bowler to bring in Ramandeep Singh, again underlining the priority on batting cover.
Against England earlier this year, India briefly reverted to their old shape, playing Axar at No.8 or occasionally using Dhruv Jurel to balance the side. The results were impressive: 37 wins from their last 42 T20Is, including two via Super Over. The blueprint seemed locked.
A fresh gamble
Now, as the Asia Cup beckons, India appear to have broken away from that model once again. On paper, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy form a dream attack. But fitting all four into the XI comes at a cost. None of them is a capable No.8, the role previously earmarked for an all-rounder who could give batting insurance.
That means at least one of the quartet will be benched. Given India’s recent tendency to load up on spinners, Arshdeep – their leading wicket-taker in the format – could find himself sidelined. Alternatively, one of the spinners may sit out. Either way, the side risks upsetting its balance.
India’s solution in the past has been to slot in a third all-rounder alongside Pandya and Axar. But the current squad lacks a convincing candidate for that job. Harshit Rana, the closest option, has shown glimpses of hitting ability but lacks the consistency to be trusted as a lower-order bat. His record – 59 runs from 10 T20 innings – does not inspire confidence. He is no Washington Sundar, who might have been groomed into that role.
One way forward would be to sacrifice bowling depth for batting cushion, playing both Abhishek Sharma and Dube to support a core of Bumrah, Kuldeep, Varun, Pandya, and Axar. On paper, that shores up the batting but leaves the team with just five bowling options – two of them part-time – for eight overs. Against batting-heavy opposition on flat Asian tracks, such a gamble could swing matches away from India. (Agencies)