It has been relatively recent that a significant portion of India’s winning ways in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) were due to both the Indian batting unit and their ability to score big runs by hitting boundaries. That is no longer the case, and it is a fairly subtle change for the Indian cricket team in 2025. The Indian national team played a total of twenty-one T20I matches and won fifteen, lost only three, and ended 2025 with a win percentage of .7142 in T20I matches. Is this success? Yes. Will you predict this success? Absolutely not.
In an era where the focus is on speed and the way you are able to move quickly through the overs, India has actually been able to slow the game down and win. No better example of this can be seen than the top three bowling performances of 2025, which were all built around guile, bravery, and a good understanding of when to bowl what type of delivery rather than how fast.
Kuldeep Yadav: Spin That Wins Finals
Kuldeep Yadav
Finals don’t reward subtlety; they punish hesitation. And yet, in the Asia Cup final vs Pakistan in Dubai, Kuldeep Yadav bowled like a man playing a five-day chess match inside a 20-over brawl.
His figures 4 for 30 weren’t just economical; they were structurally destructive. Pakistan never recovered from the middle-over squeeze. Kuldeep removed Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, and then delivered the knockout blows with a googly to Shaheen Afridi and a flighted dismissal of Faheem Ashraf.
What made it elite was intent. Kuldeep didn’t hide his variations; he invited mistakes. In 2025, he finished with 21 wickets in 10 matches, averaging 10.23 at 7.04 economy. Those are numbers that don’t just win matches; they win tournaments.
Varun Chakaravarthy: Five Wickets, Zero Panic
Varun Chakaravarthy
Five-fors in modern T20Is are rare. Five-fors while defending spin in a batting-friendly era are almost mythological. Varun Chakaravarthy’s 5 for 24 vs England in Rajkot belonged to that second category.
England scored 171; India eventually failed, but Varun’s spell was a masterclass in tempo disruption. He dismissed Jos Buttler with courage, not caution. He followed it up by knocking over Jamie Smith, Overton, Carse, and Jofra Archer, mixing pace changes with deceptive release points.
Though defeated, Varun was awarded Player of the Match – a great honor that demonstrates how impressive his spell was. By the end of 2025, Varun had become India’s top wicket-taker with a total of 36 wickets from 20 games and an average of just 13.19. Varun didn’t have the traditional ‘mystery’ style spinning; he was a modern style of “control” spinning, which was developed to survive T20 cricket.
Arshdeep Singh: Early Wickets, Late Authority
Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh’s 2025 didn’t come with guaranteed selection or uninterrupted rhythm. He missed matches, shuffled roles, and yet delivered when India needed him most, particularly in Hobart vs Australia.
His 3 for 35 doesn’t scream dominance at first glance. Context does the shouting. Bowling first, Arshdeep dismissed Travis Head in the opening over, silencing Australia’s powerplay ambition instantly. He followed it with Josh Inglis and later removed a dangerous Marcus Stoinis (64).
This is both top order success and death over control, a rare and special commodity. India easily chased down 187 runs to win the match by 5 wickets, as Arshdeep was awarded the Player of the Match award. The emphasis on the need for raw speed these days is what makes Arshdeep’s greatest asset so unique: he has precision, which includes clarity regarding length, angle, and nerve.
Key Takeaway
India didn’t overpower T20Is in 2025; they outthought them.
FAQs
- What made Kuldeep Yadav’s Asia Cup final spell special?
It’s combined control, variation, and pressure execution in a high-stakes final.
- Why was Varun Chakaravarthy’s five-for impactful despite defeat?
Because it neutralized England’s power hitters and dictated match tempo.
- How did Arshdeep Singh influence matches without headline numbers?
By taking early wickets and closing overs with tactical precision.
Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.
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