Why Kuldeep Yadav’s Performance in Asia Cup 2025 Opener Gives A Massive Headache For India

India secured a dominating win in their Asia Cup 2025 opener against UAE, wrapping up the contest with 9 wickets and 93 balls remaining. Kuldeep Yadav was the chief architect of this decimation with his four-wicket haul that bundled out UAE for a trivial 57.

While Kuldeep won the player of the match award in his first game after returning to the format following a year gap, there’s a flipside to his heroics as well which can pose a headache for the Indian management.

Let’s evaluate what could they be.

How to fit Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav?

India opted to go with three spinners in the lineup against UAE in Kuldeep, Varun and Axar. This came at the cost of a pacer with Arshdeep Singh sitting out and India essentially going with two pacers in Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.

Given that India wants batting depth, fitting all the aforementioned names becomes a challenge. India ideally wouldn’t want to replace their two primary all-rounders – Hardik and Axar. Thus, the only way to include all four bowlers in the current setup is by sacrificing a batter in either Shivam Dube or Tilak Varma from the playing XI.

Will Arshdeep Singh continue to sit out?

Arshdeep Singh is India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is with 99 scalps to his name at an average of 18.30. The left-arm speedster was also the joint-highest wicket-taker in T20 World Cup 2024, which India won by beating South Africa in the summit clash.

However, given the UAE conditions, India might continue to back a spin-heavy attack, as they did during the Champions Trophy 2025 earlier this year. Arshdeep can be slotted in to manage Bumrah’s workload or for specific matchups.

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What happens outside UAE when 3 spinners aren’t needed?

Outside of UAE, or more specifically, the subcontinent, India might resort to using three pacers, which means either a spinner or an extra batter will have to sit out. Given that India wants batting depth, Axar would retain his place, forcing the management to rotate between Kuldeep or Varun Chakravarthy. India can use a part-time option as a third spinner too if needed with multiple players in the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh amongst other more than handy with the ball.

India can also include an extra spin all-rounder in Washington Sundar in place of a specialist batter, which will give them a three-pacer, three-spinner attack along with batting depth.

Is it ideal to just have the 2 pacers including Hardik?

Given that the Asia Cup 2025 is a dress rehearsal for next year’s T20 World Cup 2026, India needs to focus on the bigger goal too. While playing just two pacers with the second pacer being Hardik Pandya worked against UAE, it is definitely not a long-term plan.

This is because Hardik is typically a middle-over enforcer and it would be too risky a gamble to use him with the new ball or in the penultimate overs of a match against bigger opponents or crunch games. India will thus need another speedster in the ranks who can partner Bumrah in the powerplay and the death.

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