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Samson has scored 861 runs in 42 T20Is played so far, whereas Rinku has amassed a total of 546 runs in 33 matches.
Irfan Pathan picks India’s strongest playing XI for Asia Cup 2025. (Picture Credit: X/@BCCI)
The 2025 edition of the Asia Cup is set to start on September 9. This year, the matches of the premier continental event will be played in T20I format between eight teams across two venues – Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Ahead of the start of India’s campaign in the Asia Cup 2025, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, on his YouTube channel, picked India’s strongest XI.
In his team, Irfan picked world No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma as opener along with his childhood friend and vice-captain Shubman Gill. The Baroda-based cricketer retained world No. 2 T20I batter Tilak Varma at his favoured No. 3 position and Suryakumar Yadav at 4.
Tilak, who is the youngest player in India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, scored back-to-back centuries against South Africa last year as a No. 3 batter.
Many experts of the game felt that Gill’s addition to India’s squad as vice-captain will lead to Sanju Samson’s exit from the playing XI, but Irfan has included the Kerala-based cricketer as a No. 5 batter.
Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel are two all-rounders in Pathan’s strongest XI, and he also included both the spinners – Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy – along with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.
Arshdeep is India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is. In 63 matches played so far, the left-arm pacer from Punjab has accounted for the dismissal of 99 batters so far.
He needs one more wicket to become the first Indian bowler to take 100 wickets in the 20-over format of the game. If Arshdeep manages to take at least one wicket in India’s first match of the Asia Cup, then he will also break the record of being the fastest fast bowler to take 100 wickets in T20Is. As of now, the record is in the name of Rizwan Butt of Bahrain. The 34-year-old medium pacer needed 66 matches to cross the 100-wicket mark.
In addition to Arshdeep, Hardik and Bumrah will also have a chance to join the 100-wicket club in T20Is during the tournament. As of now, Bumrah has 89 wickets to his credit in 70 matches, and Hardik has accounted for the dismissal of 94 batters in 114 matches.
Irfan Pathan’s strongest India XI for Asia Cup: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (VC), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy
September 06, 2025, 15:18 IST
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