"I think they won't play him" - Aakash Chopra on Indian star's place in playing 11 for IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 clash

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Arshdeep Singh will not be a part of the Men in Blue's playing XI for their Asia Cup 2025 clash against Pakistan. He pointed out that the conditions in Dubai favor the spinners more.

India will face Pakistan in their second Group A game in Dubai on Sunday, September 14. Arshdeep wasn't a part of the Indian playing XI when they thrashed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by nine wickets at the same venue in their tournament opener on Wednesday, September 10.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener was asked whether Arshdeep would play against Pakistan.

"I think they won't play him. They will think about him for sure, but they won't play him, although it's slightly surprising in a sense, because when T20s started, it was being said that the fast bowlers were dominant, and why spinners were being kept. Then spinners started pulling their weight in the format," he responded.

Chopra added that the slightly dusty and non-dewy conditions in Dubai don't favor the inclusion of an extra seamer.

"However, slowly-slowly, we have reached a stage where we are saying that all spinners can be played. Dew is not coming here, something everyone was wary of. The pitches are looking slightly dusty. It doesn't seem like the ball is skidding. If it's not skidding, the pitches are dusty, and dew is not coming, the spinners are more dominant," he observed.

Aakash Chopra highlighted that any team playing a spin-heavy attack would want to pick up five to six wickets before the 16th over. He opined that the opposition won't challenge India that much, as Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel are likely to be among the wickets.

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"It's not ideal" - Aakash Chopra on whether India are moving towards 4 spinners for 2026 T20 World Cup

Jasprit Bumrah was the only specialist seamer in India's playing XI against the UAE. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra was asked whether India are moving towards four spinners for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

"It's not ideal, as who will you get to bowl the death overs? What will happen if dew comes? The World Cup is in February-March. Chances of dew will be very bright in a February-March World Cup, and you might need two fast bowlers," he replied (10:30).

The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that Suryakumar Yadav and company would need to play Arshdeep Singh alongside Jasprit Bumrah in next year's T20 World Cup.

"Some teams don't have fast bowlers who are that good. So you feel that whoever plays after Bumrah would be a downgrade, and that it would be better to play an upgraded spinner, but here you have Arshdeep. I feel we will need an Arshdeep Singh," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra reckoned that two specialist seamers would be required as the pitches would not be dusty every time, with some surfaces likely to be flat. While noting that India might not play two frontline pacers in the ongoing Asia Cup due to the conditions in Dubai, he added that the game plan might have to be changed when they play the T20I series in Australia.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer