India's veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has picked defending champions' playing XI for the T20 Asia Cup 2025. Rahane feels that wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson will be benched and vice-captain Shubman Gill will open the innings with Abhishek Sharma when India take the field against UAE on September 10.
“Shubman he's back in the team, I'm sure he is most likely to open with Abhishek Sharma. Personally, I would like to see Sanju Samson in the team because he has done really well. Very confident guy, very good team man. I feel that is a very important thing,” Rahane said on his YouTube channel.
“Sanju is a great team man, but that's a very good problem to have for the team management. In my opinion, probably Sanju Samson will sit out, though as I said, I would like him to play and be in the playing XI. But Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma will open the innings for the team,” he added.
ALSO READ: 'I believe it's the right time to...': Ajinkya Rahane leaves captaincy role ahead of new season
Jitesh as wicketkeeper-batter
The 37-year-old picked Tilak Varma for the no.3 spot followed by skipper Suryakumar. Varma averages nearly 50 in T20Is and already has two centuries to his name. At no.5, he picks Hardik Pandya. He feels wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma will bat at no.6 and Axar Patel will get pushed down the order to no.7.
The bowling attack
The former Mumbai captain has picked Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh as pacers and Kuldeep Yadav as frontline spinner. For the last spot, he feels it will be either Varun Chakravarthy or Harshit Rana, depending on the conditions.
“The 11th player will be depending on the wicket because we are playing in Dubai. Depending on the wicket and conditions either Varun Chakaravarthy or Harshit Rana," he said.
Chakravarthy’s impressive numbers
It is not be noted that Rana has played just one T20I, that too as a concussion substitute earlier this year against England. Meanwhile, Chakravarthy is India's leading wicket-taker in T20Is since T20 World Cup 2024. The mystery spinner has 31 wickets from 12 games at an average of 11.25, including two fifers during this period.
Rahane’s India playing XI for T20 Asia Cup 2025 -
Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy/Harshit Rana.