Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai
Should India make changes for the 2025 Asia Cup final against Pakistan? On the surface, this question doesn’t have a great deal of merit. In this context, an old adage flashes in the mind – why try to fix something when it isn’t broken? India have remained unbeaten right through the tournament, and it is perhaps prudent to not make changes.
Having said that, it must still be tempting for India’s think-tank to look at Arshdeep Singh as an option ahead of Shivam Dube, the all-rounder. For starters, the left-arm pace bowler has an impressive record in T20Is against Pakistan – Seven wickets at an average of 17.57. It includes a game-breaking performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground where he ripped through the heart of Pakistan’s top order.
At his very best, Arshdeep doesn’t just bring the left-armer’s angle into play. He also generates some late swing, alongside possessing a surprise short delivery. Arshdeep’s X-factor is that he does have the temperament to bowl the tough overs at the death.
This hypothesis is evidenced by how Arshdeep just kept it simple by bowling to his field against Sri Lanka in the ongoing Asia Cup. The pacer employed yorkers or very full deliveries. The line was outside off as he tightened the screw on Sri Lanka’s chase in the end overs, before acing the Super Over. The left-arm over-the-wicket angle just added to a batter’s woes. Yet, in the UAE’s spin-friendly climes, Arshdeep has mostly found himself out of the XI.
Despite having impressive credentials, he did struggle in parts while bowling against both Oman and Sri Lanka. In the Sri Lanka-India game, his figures read 0 for 26 after bowling just two overs. Maybe lack of game time hasn’t helped his cause. Remember, Arshdeep didn’t play in any of the Tests in England either. Even if you bowl for hours together in the nets, it is very difficult to simulate the intensity levels of a competitive game.
This is exactly the reason why India’s coaching staff should avoid making changes. It is true that Dube hasn’t yet found his mojo with the willow in hand, having accumulated only 17 runs in the tournament so far. The left-hand batter was even sent up the order against Oman and Bangladesh but couldn’t make his chances count. Although he has up-skilled his bowling, Dube’s main role is to press the accelerator in the slog overs with his power-hitting.
Moreover, the Gautam Gambhir-led think-tank prefers to have a long batting unit, with a couple of lower-order batters expected to play the big shots. In the eventual analysis, and in all likelihood, India are set to pick the same XI that eased past Bangladesh in the Super 4.
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