Asia Cup 2025: Mohammad Kaif Warns India May Struggle Without Third All-Rounder
Ex-India cricketer Mohammad Kaif warns that India may struggle in Asia Cup 2025 without a third all-rounder, urging the team to find a new winning balance under Suryakumar Yadav.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has warned that the absence of a third all-rounder could hurt Suryakumar Yadav’s team in the Asia Cup 2025.
Former cricket player Mohammad Kaif has expressed concerns about India's balance under new captain Suryakumar Yadav as the team prepares for the Asia Cup 2025. The absence of a third all-round player, in Kaif's opinion, may hurt India's chances in the crucial tournament.
Kaif's Caution Before the Asia Cup
India's victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja gave the team the advantage of depth in both batting and bowling, was compared by Kaif on X (formerly Twitter).
With three all-rounders (Axar, Jadeja, and Hardik), Rohit's team won the T20 World Cup. This meant they had six bowling options and could bat until number eight. During the Asia Cup, India will need to come up with a new winning combination since Hardik and Axar are the only true all-rounders. "We will miss Washington Sundar," Kaif wrote.
Challenges of the Post-Rohit Era
With Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli declaring their retirement from Twenty20 Internationals after the World Cup victory in the USA and the West Indies, India's team now appears to have fewer all-round options.
Only Pandya and Axar are acknowledged all-rounders in the main 15-man squad, despite Washington Sundar being named as a standby player.
The Significance of Every Round
Pandya, Axar, and Jadeja all made significant batsmanship and ball contributions during India's World Cup victory. Because of their adaptability, Rohit's team was able to play aggressively without losing their equilibrium. Kaif cautions that in the absence of comparable depth,India could face difficulties if top-order batters or frontline bowlers fail.
India’s Asia Cup 2025 Squad
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
With Gautam Gambhir as head coach and Suryakumar Yadav leading the team, India will now be tested on how quickly they can form a new winning formula in the post-Rohit era.
