Asia Cup 2025: India Begin Campaign vs UAE in Dubai; Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah Return In T20 Format

India will open their Asia Cup 2025 journey against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday, September 10, in Dubai. The Men in Blue have been training intensively for the past five days, aiming to start their campaign on a winning note. Meanwhile, the UAE squad enters the contest with valuable match practice from a recent tri-series.

A major talking point ahead of the tournament is Sanju Samson's possible inclusion in the playing XI. With Test captain Shubman Gill returning to the T20 format after a break since last year's Sri Lanka series, the team combination will be under close watch. Gill, now also vice-captain, is expected to feature in every match barring any fitness concerns.

Another crucial returnee is pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who, like Gill, hasn't played T20 internationals for over a year. Their comebacks mark notable changes in an otherwise stable squad since the Bangladesh series last year.

Key Squad Changes

Jitesh Sharma: Back as wicketkeeper-batter after an excellent IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), replacing Dhruv Jurel, who shifts to the non-travelling reserves.

Shivam Dube: Returns as a pace-bowling all-rounder, filling in for the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Kuldeep Yadav: Rejoins as the third spin option after recovering from injury, edging out Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar.

Notable Omissions

Mohammed Shami's exclusion hints at the selectors potentially phasing him out across formats.

Dhruv Jurel, despite his earlier involvement against England, misses out but remains among the standbys.

With these strategic changes, India's selectors have tried to strike a balance between seasoned performers and emerging talents. The squad looks set for a challenging yet promising Asia Cup 2025 campaign, beginning with their clash against the UAE.