No Sanju Samson! Deep Dasgupta picks India’s playing XI for Asia Cup 2025

Table of Contents

As the Asia Cup 2025 kicks off today, excitement is building among fans and experts alike. The tournament begins with Afghanistan taking on Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi, while India will open their campaign on September 10 against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai. With the continental event bringing together top Asian cricketing nations, former players and analysts have been actively discussing possible team combinations and key players to watch out for.

Among them, former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta has revealed his preferred India XI for the tournament. His lineup features a balanced mix of youthful energy, experienced campaigners, and all-round versatility—though one notable omission has already sparked debate.

At the top, Deep has gone with the young and explosive Abhishek Sharma alongside Shubman Gill. Both have been in excellent white-ball form leading up to the Asia Cup, with Gill also stepping into the leadership role as India’s vice-captain. Abhishek’s aggressive batting in the powerplay combined with Gill’s composure and ability to anchor the innings gives India a strong platform. Deep emphasized that this combination offers India both consistency and aggression from the very beginning.

Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jitesh Sharma form the backbone of the middle order in Deep’s XI. Tilak has emerged as one of India’s most promising youngsters, while Suryakumar remains India’s most explosive T20 batter, capable of turning games single-handedly. Interestingly, Jitesh gets the nod as wicketkeeper-batter in this side, thanks to his finishing skills and fearless approach in the death overs. According to Deep, Jitesh’s ability to strike from ball one makes him an ideal choice for a fast-paced tournament like the Asia Cup.

Also READ: Dinesh Karthik, Harsha Bhogle predict top run-getter and highest wicket-taker in Asia Cup 2025

In the all-rounders’ slot, Deep has opted for Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel. Hardik’s dual ability with bat and ball brings balance, while Axar’s spin-bowling and lower-order hitting add depth. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy form the spin attack, offering variety with left-arm wrist spin and mystery spin respectively. The pace department is led by Jasprit Bumrah, India’s strike weapon across formats. Alongside him, Deep has kept flexibility by naming either Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana to share the new ball, depending on conditions.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Deep’s XI is the absence of Sanju Samson. Despite being a regular name in India’s T20 discussions, the wicketkeeper-batter has been left out in favor of Jitesh. Addressing this decision, Deep clarified that Samson has not underperformed but rather missed out due to team balance.

“Sanju Samson has done nothing wrong, it is more about the combination,” Deep said on his YouTube channel. He further highlighted that Jitesh’s role as a natural finisher tilted the selection in his favor. While fans of Samson may find this exclusion disappointing, Deep stressed that the decision was made purely to maintain the structure and clarity of India’s playing XI.

Also READ: Murali Kartik picks two ‘X factors’ of Team India in the Asia Cup 2025