India vs. Pakistan: Fresh Faces, New Strategies Clash in Asia Cup 2025 Showdown

A new chapter in the India–Pakistan rivalry is about to be written. The familiar faces are missing. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who carried Pakistan for so long, have been dropped. This Sunday in Dubai, a new set of names will take centre stage in one of cricket’s biggest contests.For India, the focus is on youth and adaptability. Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill are tasked with setting the tone at the top. Sanju Samson’s calmness behind the stumps adds balance, while Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma bring flair in the middle. All-round options are plenty with Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel, giving the team flexibility. India are leaning towards a spin-heavy attack given Dubai’s traditionally slow pitches. Jasprit Bumrah remains the leader of the pace department, with Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube providing back-up. That allows room for Kuldeep Yadav’s left-arm wrist spin, Varun Chakravarthy’s mystery variations, and Axar Patel’s control in the middle overs.Pakistan too have the luxury of seam-bowling allrounders, giving them the flexibility to pack their XI with spin. Their opener against Oman highlighted that approach, although they could bring Haris Rauf back into the side for this high-stakes fixture.India (probable XI): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun ChakravarthyPakistan (probable XI): Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed Ryan ten Doeschate, India’s assistant coach, pointed to the team’s versatility as a strength. “We’re very lucky with Sanju, Axar and Hardik, guys who can bat anywhere from up the order to seven or eight. So it’ll be part of our strategy to use that flexibility when conditions get tough.” Pakistan’s young batter Saim Ayub stressed the need for calm amid the hype. “It’s a big game, and fans from both countries care deeply about it. But it’s important for us to follow our processes in the same way, and work on improving our execution.” The spotlight will be on the new names who step into the glare of the India-Pakistan stage. For some, it could be the night that defines their careers.