Asia Cup 2025: 5 players who could be dropped as selectors

Asia Cup 2025: 5 players who could be dropped as selectors

After the conclusion of the five-match Test series against England, all eyes are on the 2025 Asia Cup, which will begin from September 9 in the T20 format.

India will be without their senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the tournament, with Suryakumar Yadav expected to lead the side.

However, the biggest challenge now lies with the selectors, who will have to finalise the 15-member squad while striking a balance between recent performances, fitness and workload management. Some players may be rested or dropped from the squad depending on various factors.

Mohammad Siraj can be rested

After a stellar performance in the England Tests, Mohammed Siraj emerged as India's highest wicket-taker. His match-winning spell at the Oval was a memorable moment. Given his heavy workload during the IPL and the England tour, the selectors are busy

They might opt to rest Siraj to improve his fitness ahead of the event.

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin urged Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill to take care of Mohammed Siraj after the pacer led his team to a thrilling six-run win over England in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

Siraj, 31, took nine wickets in the series decider, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings, as Shubman Gill's side levelled the five-match series.

Ashwin, who will retire from international cricket in December 2024, said Siraj has not been recognised for his efforts in the past and it is time the pacer gets all the recognition he deserves.

In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj led the fast bowling attack very well and was the highest wicket-taker in the series with 23 wickets.

"We didn't recognise Mohammed Siraj. It's time to recognise him. He raised his hand once again; he has given a great reason. Look at his celebration, it's like he's saying, 

This is not a trailer. This is the real picture.' He's saying, Consider me a match winner.' He's reminding us what a champion bowler he is.

His bowling action, his technique and his way of working is giving him an opportunity to play all five Test matches in a series,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

He further said, "He is also getting older. It is important for the team management to give him rest even from unimportant matches. He can be your No. 1 Test bowler. 

he can be your favourite Test bowler. We have to rebuild the bowling attack. Akashdeep is there, Prasidh Krishna is there, Arshdeep Singh is there. We have to build it around Mohammed Siraj and his experience."

Shubman Gill impressed with his captaincy in the England series, but his role in the T20 format is under question. With Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Verma already competing for top-order spots, it may be difficult for Gill to find a place in the playing XI.

The Indian cricket team is preparing for an important match against Australia in the fourth match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. On Thursday, December 26, the prestigious Melbourne Cricket

The match, which will be played as the Boxing Day Test at the ground, is expected to be a thrilling contest.

As discussions about the final XI are gaining momentum, it seems that changes are likely in the visiting team. According to reports, captain Rohit Sharma is set to return to the team and he is set to open the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal in this important match.

part from this change in the top order, KL Rahul is expected to come in at number three, which could create problems for Shubman Gill, who has been struggling to find his place.

 According to Cricbuzz, there is a heated debate about Gill's form ahead of the Test, raising questions about whether he will be able to retain his place in the playing XI.

Gill's troubles at the crease have been worrying. Ever since his blazing 91 in the last Border-Gavaskar series at the Gabba, the right-handed batsman has failed to convert good starts into big scores on foreign soil. 

His current series has not brought him any relief either, and his performances in his two matches so far have been extremely disappointing.

After missing the opening Test in Perth with a finger injury, Gill returned for the second match but struggled to capitalise on his good start, adding to the challenges he faces in overseas conditions.

In his previous outing at the Gabba, Gill got out cheaply in the first innings and unfortunately didn't get a chance to bat in the second innings as well due to rain. 

With speculations mounting, reports from the Times of India suggest that the team management is looking at including a second spinner, and Washington Sundar is being touted as a potential option.

If Sundar makes it to the team, then Shubman Gill or his fellow batsman Nitish Kumar Reddy may have to sit out of this important Test. This decision could be a big blow for Gill, who is considered by many as a key player in India's long-term batting lineup.

 There is speculation that only two of Gill, Reddy and Sundar will be able to make it to the final team for the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Test.

Nitish Kumar Reddy likely to opt out of election

Nitish Kumar Reddy, who is recovering from an injury, had a mediocre performance in the England Tests. His T20 International stats (90 runs and 3 wickets in 4 matches) weaken his claim. He may be out of this edition of the Asia Cup.

Team India has suffered another major setback ahead of the fourth Test match against England at Old Trafford. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who performed brilliantly in the third and tough match played at Lord's, has suffered a serious knee injury. A day after Cricbuzz reported the injury,

It has been confirmed that the all-rounder will not play in the remainder of the ongoing Test series in England.

This revelation comes a day after it was revealed that fast bowler Akash Deep, one of India's match-winners in the second Test at Edgbaston, could be ruled out of the Manchester Test due to injury.

He and fellow pacer Arshdeep Singh will miss the fourth Test to be held from July 23 to 27. The left-arm pacer has also been officially ruled out of the match in Manchester.

Sources had earlier told Cricbuzz that Nitish (22) has suffered a left knee injury, making his participation in the series doubtful. The exact nature of the injury is not yet clear, although it is believed to have been sustained during a mobility training session.

Cricbuzz has learned that Nitish underwent scans to ascertain the severity of the injury. On Monday (July 21), the BCCI confirmed his left knee injury and said he will return home.

On Sunday, the Indian team went to Old Trafford to meet Manchester United players and Nitish was one of those Indian players who could not make it to the famous football ground.

The obvious one was KL Rahul, but the India opener is fine and there are no concerns over his fitness.

With two more Test matches left in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the team management might have to rely on Shardul Thakur, who was preferred over Nitish in the first Test at Leeds, but the Andhra all-rounder regained his place in the next two matches.

Dhruv Jurel will face tough competition

Although Dhruv Jurel was in the squad for the home T20 series against England, his participation in the Asia Cup seems doubtful. With Ishan Kishan's possible return and Sanju Samson already being a frontrunner, Jurel seems unlikely to make it into the squad.

Amid the BCCI's decision to include N Jagadeeshan in the squad in place of Rishabh Pant, the Tamil Nadu cricketer will face tough competition from Dhruv Jurel.

However, the way things are going, it seems difficult to fit the batsman into the playing XI, with Jurel being the likely choice for this role, especially considering the nature of the match.

Team India has reached this milestone after achieving a brilliant draw in the fourth match of the five-match Test series against England. Now both the teams will face each other for the series decider in the fifth Test match.

 

Team India will miss its dashing batsman Rishabh Pant in the fifth Test match. The left-handed batsman suffered a leg injury while facing Chris Woakes in the fourth Test.

Jagadeesan has no experience of English conditions yet, but he has been a strong player in the domestic circuit. On the other hand, Jurel cannot be called an experienced option for this role, as he has played only four Test matches for the team.

In a situation, where a win could help India level the series, the management

The third option for India would be in-form batsman KL Rahul, but the experienced batsman has been performing consistently well in the top order and the think tank would not like to change his position.

Moreover, after keeping wicket for so many overs, it will be tiring for Rahul to once again open the innings for the Shubman Gill-led side. The biggest concern for Gautam Gambhir & Co. will be the fitness of their main pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

Earlier, the fast bowler was advised not to play consecutive Test matches in view of his workload management. Following this advice, the management gave him a chance to play three matches of the series, but now the visiting team is in a situation where Bumrah's presence can prove to be ideal for victory.

If he remains out of the match, Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep are the two options available for the final match. Arshdeep Singh, who has performed brilliantly for the team in the white ball format, has not yet made his Test debut. He was not available for selection for the fourth Test due to injury.

Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi in danger

Washington Sundar failed to impress in the recent T20 series, taking only three wickets and not doing much with the bat either. Similarly, Ravi Bishnoi may also be dropped from the team due to poor form. Due to the conditions in the UAE, the selectors may prefer Yuzvendra Chahal, who has experience of playing in these conditions.

Former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra has said that Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar may not get a chance to play in the first T20 match against Afghanistan. India is all set to take on Afghanistan at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.

India will play a three-match T20 series against Afghanistan at their home ground. India have an impeccable record against Afghanistan in the shortest format of the game, where they have won four out of five matches and one match was a draw.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra discussed India's bowling options for the first T20I and backed Axar Patel over Sundar as the spin all-rounder. Sundar has played 40 T20Is for India, scoring 107 runs and taking 31 wickets.

 

Chopra said, "Axar will definitely play. Axar is also a left-handed batsman. If you want to play Washington Sundar by mistake, you can play another left-handed batsman. However, I don't think Washington Sundar will be able to play. I think if Axar is at number seven, then you will have to play only one spinner at number eight and that will be Kuldeep Yadav."

He further said that Bishnoi and Sundar may not be able to play in the first match of the series. Bishnoi is the second-ranked bowler in T20 international cricket.

Chopra further said, "If Kuldeep plays at number eight, then India will have to go with three fast bowlers because given the fog here, I think there can be a lot of dew. So I think there should be three fast bowlers and two spinners. There may not be room for Ravi Bishnoi and Washi."