SKY To Omit Harshit Rana; Chakaravarthy In: India's Ideal Bowling Unit For Asia Cup 2025

Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy and Harshit Rana (Source:@KKR_Xtra,BCCI,ImTanujSingh, X.com)

The strong 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025 has been announced, and it is a balanced team with almost all bases covered. There has been criticism too for the non-selection of some players, but overall, it is a squad that has the ability to dominate in the continental tournament.

On the bowling front, India have three frontline pacers - Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy are the two spinners, while Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel are the two all-rounders. Shivam Dube and Abhishek Sharma, too, can roll their arms if needed.

Should Harshit Rana Play In Asia Cup 2025?

India have different bowling combinations on their table. Firstly, there is an option of going with all three frontline seamers - Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. If those three play, India can fit in only one of Kuldeep Yadav or Varun Chakaravarthy. In that case, Axar Patel will be the second spinner, while Hardik Pandya will be the fourth seamer in the XI.

However, this combination is more suitable if the conditions assist seam bowlers. However, in the UAE, there are chances that the spinners would extract more help. Thus, with two quality spinners, Kuldeep and Varun Chakaravarthy, in the squad, having them both together in the XI could help India.

Why Varun Chakaravarthy And Kuldeep Yadav Should Play Together?

Also, both of them did brilliantly together in the Champions Trophy 2025. Varun Chakaravarthy picked nine wickets while Kuldeep Yadav took seven, and they could form a lethal pair again. Also, Varun Chakaravarthy has shown great form since his comeback in the Indian side in 2024 with 31 wickets in 12 matches.

Varun Chakaravarthy & Kuldeep Yadav In T20Is

Kuldeep Yadav, too, has emerged as a genuine wicket-taker in the white-ball formats. Also, there is Hardik Pandya, who can be trusted to bowl his four overs or at least three overs in most of the games. Thus, he can play the role of a third seamer, which he did in the T20 World Cup 2024. 

Now, if only two seamers are to be selected, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh should play, while Harshit Rana will miss out. Both Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh have been exceptional for India in T20Is, and Harshit Rana, who has played just one T20I so far, will have to wait for his chance. Axar Patel will also be there, and he is a bowler who can bowl four overs on maximum days, which gives India six quality bowling options without a third seamer.

Thus, India going with two frontline seamers, two spinners, and two all-rounders would be an ideal combination for the Asia Cup 2025.

India's Ideal Bowling Combination For Asia Cup 2025

 Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy

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