Harbhajan Singh predicts his India squad for Asia Cup 2025, no place for KL Rahul

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The countdown to the Asia Cup 2025 has begun, and cricket fever is rising across the continent. Scheduled to be played in the UAE from September 9 to September 28, the tournament promises another month of high-intensity clashes between the top Asian sides. With India entering the competition as one of the strong favorites, discussions around the team combination are already heating up.

Adding to the buzz, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh revealed his preferred squad for the Asia Cup. His squad features a mix of youth and experience, but notably, there was no place for senior batter KL Rahul. Instead, Harbhajan placed his faith in young stars like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma and Riyan Parag, while naming Suryakumar Yadav as captain.

While explaining his choices, Harbhajan clarified that either Rahul or Rishabh Pant could still be considered as wicketkeepingoptions, but for his XI, he preferred going with a more aggressive batting setup.

“KL Rahul is a name I didn’t take. He can also be a very good option since I am not putting any other keeper. One of him or Rishabh Pant should be there,” said Harbhajan while talking to Times of India.

Also READ: 3 reasons why Shreyas Iyer deserves a spot in India’s T20I squad for Asia Cup 2025

One of the talking points ahead of the Asia Cup is Shubman Gill‘s place in the squad. Critics have often questioned his strike rate in T20 cricket, especially when compared to the likes of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, who boast strike rates of 150+ and nearly 194, respectively. However, Harbhajan threw his weight behind Gill, stating that the opener’s class and consistency cannot be overlooked.

“You need to understand that T20 cricket is not just about slogging. If Gill decides to hit, he is no less than anyone. He has strong basics, can score all around the ground, and his IPL record proves it. The Orange Cap doesn’t come easy; he has batted at 150–160 strike rates too,” added Bhajji.

Harbhajan Singh’s India squad for Asia Cup 2025:Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.

Also READ: Will Jasprit Bumrah feature in Asia Cup 2025? Here’s the latest on his workload management