As Suryakumar Yadav's India prepare to begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign, veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has come up with an advice which can bring balance in the team. Rahane, who last represented India in 2023, especially stressed on the importance of Hardik Pandya's four overs, stating they will be vital to the team's success.
Hardik's role in this Asia Cup will be really important: Ajinkya Rahane
"Hardik's role in this Asia Cup will be really important. As an all-rounder, he has done really well for the team in the past. Coming at No. 5 and 6 as a batter, creating that impact, playing with a high strike rate, reading the situation, and playing according to it, he has done it all. I'm sure he can do it again," he said on his YouTube channel.
"What I would like to see from Hardik is bowling his four overs for the team. If he can do that, bowl those four overs, the team can actually have a very good balance," he added.
Not just Hardik, Rahane also talked about Axar Patel, describing him as an underrated player. Rahane feels Axar has become a vital asset for the Indian team with the bat, often playing as a floater in the batting order. His accurate bowling has also been a key contributor to the team's recent successes.
"I feel he is a very much underrated player. He has improved as a player, as a cricketer in the last two to three years. He has done really well. Whenever he's got an opportunity as a batter, as a bowler, he has performed really well for the team. He can bowl with the new ball in the powerplay, he can bowl in the middle phase as well, and if needed, he can bowl in death overs," he further stated.
"As a captain, when you have a player like Axar Patel in the team, you are always happy. Let's not forget about his fielding ability as well. And also, Asia Cup is in Dubai. Most probably, the wickets will favor the spinners. So, Axar's skill work and also experience will come in handy for the team," Rahane concluded.
India will start their Asia Cup campaign on September 10 against the UAE. The team will then face their arch-rivals, Pakistan, in Dubai on September 14, followed by a match against Oman on September 19.
India’s squad for Asia Cup 2025:
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh