Asia Cup 2025: Will Jasprit Bumrah return? India’s probable playing XI for the Super 4 clash against Pakistan

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India are gearing up for a high-stakes Super Four clash against Pakistan on September 21, 2025, at the Dubai International Stadium in the Asia Cup 2025. After a tense win over Oman, the Men in Blue will look to extend their dominance over their arch-rivals, having won their last six encounters across formats. India goes into this clash as the clear favourite, aiming to maintain their unbeaten streak in Asia Cup matches against Pakistan.

Jasprit Bumrah is expected to return to the playing XI after being rested against Oman. His comeback will potentially see Harshit Rana make way, while Varun Chakravarthy is likely to replace Arshdeep Singh to strengthen the spin attack, given Dubai’s spin-friendly conditions. The bowling lineup will feature Bumrah as the frontline pacer, supported by the specialist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Chakravarthy alongside Axar Patel.

Bumrah’s fitness clearance has provided a major boost to India’s campaign. The pace spearhead, who missed the Oman game for workload management, will bring his crucial death-over expertise and wicket-taking ability against a formidable Pakistan batting unit.

The tactical shift to a single specialist pacer alongside a strong spin contingent suits the conditions and India’s strategic approach. Rana and Arshdeep, who recently featured, may miss out, as the team prioritizes balance and experience for the crucial fixture. The spin trio of Kuldeep, Chakravarthy, and Axar will look to exploit the pitch’s turn and keep the pressure on Pakistan’s middle order, complementing Bumrah’s sharp pace bowling in the early and death phases.

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India’s batting order will remain largely unchanged despite a somewhat inconsistent showing against Oman. The opening pair of Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma is locked in, with Gill given continued confidence despite low scores earlier in the tournament. Sanju Samson, who impressed with a half-century in his first match, retains his place as wicketkeeper-batter, adding depth to the middle order.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma anchor the middle order, with Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel providing crucial all-round options. The team emphasizes continuity in batting, banking on settled roles and experience to handle the pressure of a high-profile India-Pakistan encounter. With Bumrah back and a balanced bowling attack, India is well positioned to defend their supremacy over Pakistan and continue their winning momentum in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four stage.

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy

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