India’s victory in the 2025 Asia Cup was incredible. They defeated Pakistan (once again!) in the final and ascended the podium unbeaten, following a familiar pattern of India’s dominance over its greatest rival and visions of an India three-peat title win. Now for the story twist – just because they won the tournament doesn’t mean everything is fine and dandy. Winning a tournament is one thing, but making a championship-winning team for the big event in 2026 T20 World Cup is another. And honestly speaking, India still has some gaps to fill before it embarks on the big finish.

 

Suryakumar Yadav’s Form

 

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room—Suryakumar Yadav. Yes, the same SKY who illuminated T20 cricket with his 360-degree batting. In 2025, however, his T20I form has been far from sky-high. Just 100 runs in 12 matches, an average of 11.1, and three ducks on the stat sheet—this is a nightmare for a player who was to be India’s batting bastion. Sure, he had a good IPL, but he never got going there either, looking scratchy, not like the free-spirited shot-maker we know he can be.

 

The bigger issue? He’s 35 now, and his game has always relied heavily on sharp reflexes and hand-eye coordination. If those are fading, a quick turnaround isn’t guaranteed. And here’s the problem: he’s not just any player, he’s India’s captain. Having a skipper whose place in the XI is under question is far from ideal.

 

The Second Pacer Puzzle

 

India’s bowling in the Asia Cup looked strong, but did you notice something odd? Jasprit Bumrah was the lone frontline pacer. The rest of the seam duties fell to Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, both of whom are more batting all-rounders than genuine strike bowlers. Even in the final, when Hardik was unavailable, Arshdeep Singh didn’t slot in—India went with Rinku Singh for batting depth instead.

 

This points to a bigger dilemma: how do you balance the XI? Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy are practically undroppable after their dream tournament, but it leaves little room for another pacer. While batting depth is nice, over-relying on Bumrah for pace bowling could backfire.

 

The Jigsaw of India’s Batting Order

 

On paper, India’s batting looks stacked—Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel. But here’s the twist: most of them prefer batting in the top four. That’s like trying to fit seven square pegs into four round holes.

 

Samson was uncomfortable in the middle order in the Asia Cup, Tilak Varma and Dube were hot and cold, and SKY’s problems made the middle overs a trap. Even Hardik and Axar, who are finishers, feel more comfortable when spin comes on. The dearth of genuine middle-order specialists is a huge gap, and that’s where India could lose steam in crucial matches.

 

FAQs

 

1. Why is Suryakumar Yadav’s form a concern for India?

 

Because he has scored only 100 runs in 12 T20Is in 2025 and looks far from his best despite being India’s captain.

 

2. What is India’s biggest bowling issue right now?

 

India is relying too much on Jasprit Bumrah as their only specialist pacer, leaving their death bowling vulnerable.

 

3. Why is India’s batting order considered unsettled?

 

Most of India’s top batters prefer batting in the top four, leaving the middle order weak and inconsistent.

 

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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