How will Indian spinners deal with this challenge of UAE?Image Credit Source: PTI
Prior to the Asia Cup 2025, all the discussion about Team India is moving around who will get the responsibility of opening in the playing XI. Given the dependence on explosive batting of T20 cricket, this discussion is natural. But along with this, this question is also important that how will the bowling line-up of Team India be? How many batsmen will the Indian team take off and how many spinners will be launched? Will the spinners who are in the squad will be able to keep pace with the circumstances of the United Arab Emirates? This question is arising because when the tournament will be played in the month of September, it will not be easy for spinners.
The Asia Cup 2025 will be held in UAE from 9 September to 28 September. This entire tournament will be played in only 2 cities- Dubai and Abu Dhabi. As far as Team India is concerned, it will play almost all its matches in Dubai. On this ground, Team India played against the Champions Trophy in February-March 2025 and won the title. In such a situation, Team India, returning to this ground within a few months, will once again be the title contender. Also, the team will again have a pair of Varun Chakraborty and Kuldeep in the name of spin attack again.
This challenge for spinners in UAE
Kuldeep and Varun took 16 wickets in the Champions Trophy. In such a situation, the same hope will be from both this time too. But these wishes of Team India can reinforce water and it is due to the current circumstances of UAE. Actually, the weather in UAE is not the same as it was in February-March, which will affect the spinners. UAE cricket team batsman Alishan Shafu revealed this. He said, “This time will be a bit difficult for spinners due to heat and humidity. We also saw in the practice match that the spinners were having trouble gripping the ball because there is humid weather, there is moisture in the air.”
This means that the outfield may be drought, but it is natural for the players to sweat due to heat and humidity. In such a situation, there will be moisture in the hand again and again and it can create difficulties in holding the ball properly. These difficulties will be because the glow of the ball does not come down immediately in the innings of just 20 overs and in such a situation there will be a danger of slipping from the hand of the ball. Due to this, spinners will have to face difficulties in gaining control over their line and especially leong. This will be even more difficult for wrist spinners like Kuldeep and Varun.
What does Team India have option?
This will not only disturb Team India, but also the rest of the team. But in view of India, in view of this, he will have to make some changes in the playing eleven and one of these two will have to be selected. This is because Akshar Patel will be in the role of another spinner, as well as the Indian team cannot include 4 such bowlers who cannot bat at all. The playing-11 will already have 2 fast bowlers in the form of Jaspreet Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, who cannot bat. In such a situation, one of the two spinners may have to sit, which will help Team India two-way.
