India won the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan, but the match showed some big problems with their team selection. The team management made some choices that created trouble during the tournament. These issues became clear when key players got injured and India struggled to find good replacements.
Bowling Needs Moahmmed Siraj
Mohammed Siraj not being in the Asia Cup 2025 squad was a big mistake. The right-arm fast bowler has been one of India’s best pacers in recent times. His bowling stats prove why he should have been selected for such an important tournament.
The team had Hardik Pandya as the second pacer after Jasprit Bumrah. But just before the final match against Pakistan, Hardik got injured during the Sri Lanka game. This left India with only one experienced pacer in Jasprit Bumrah. Arshdeep Singh was the backup option, but he lacks experience in high-pressure matches.
Arshdeep Singh’s bowling stats show his limitations. In 2025, he has a bowling average of 24.40 and economy rate of 8.71. While these numbers are not bad, Arshdeep tends to concede more runs.. His economy rate in middle overs is 8.59 and in death overs it goes up to 9.50. This can hurt the team in matches like the Asia Cup final where every run matters.
Mohammed Siraj would have been the perfect replacement for Hardik Pandya. His experience in big matches and ability to bowl well in different conditions makes him a better choice than Arshdeep Singh. Siraj has 124 Test wickets and 71 ODI wickets, showing his quality at international level.
In 2025, Mohammed Siraj has taken 18 wickets in 9 Test innings with an average of 36.6. His T20 bowling numbers are even better. In IPL 2025 he scalped 16 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of 9.25. He had a strike rate of 21.37
Middle Order Batting Needs Shreyas Iyer
India’s batting order had serious problems during the Asia Cup 2025 final. The team lost their top three batsmen early and struggled to build partnerships. Suryakumar Yadav came in at number 3 but failed to anchor the innings.
Suryakumar Yadav is more of an aggressive player who likes to attack from the start. He cannot play the anchor role when the team is in trouble. In the final, he scored only 1 run before getting out. His natural game is to score runs quickly, not to build long innings when the team needs stability.
Sanju Samson also failed to convert his start into a big score. He scored 24 runs from 21 balls in the final but could not stay till the end. Samson’s recent form has been inconsistent. In IPL 2025, he scored 285 runs in 9 matches with an average of 35.62. While this looks good, Samson has struggled to score big runs when the team needs them most.
Samson also has problems playing against spin bowling. In the Asia Cup final, he found it difficult to score runs when the ball was turning slightly. This is a big weakness that opponents can use against him in important matches.
Shreyas Iyer would have solved these middle order problems. He is a player who can both anchor the innings and score runs quickly when needed. Iyer was one of the best Indian batsmen in the Champions Trophy 2025, where he scored 243 runs in 5 matches with an average of 48.60. His strike rate was 79.41, showing he can adapt his game based on match situations.
Shreyas Iyer’s strength is his ability to score runs against both spinners and pace bowlers. His record shows he can play long innings when required and also accelerate when the team needs quick runs. In ODI cricket, Iyer has scored 2845 runs with an impressive average of 48.22.
Over-Dependency On Hardik Pandya
The Asia Cup 2025 final showed India’s heavy dependence on Hardik Pandya. Without him, the team struggled in both batting and bowling departments. Hardik is someone who can change the game with both bat and ball.
Hardik Pandya’s injury record shows why India needs backup options. He was also ruled out of the ODI World Cup 2023 due to ankle injury. In that tournament, India reached the final but lost to Australia. Many cricket experts believe if Hardik was fit for the World Cup final, India might have won the match.
Hardik’s ability to score runs quickly in pressure situations makes him very valuable. He can hit big shots when the team needs quick runs. His bowling also gives the captain an extra option to control the game. Without Hardik, India’s team balance gets disturbed.
The team management needs to find players who can do similar roles like Hardik Pandya. Having backup all-rounders is important for big tournaments. India cannot keep depending on one player for such an important role.
How These Problems Showed Up In The Final
The Asia Cup 2025 final was a perfect example of how these squad selection issues can hurt India. The team was reduced to 20/3 in just 4 overs, showing their batting problems. Without experienced players like Shreyas Iyer, the middle order could not handle the pressure initially.
Arshdeep Singh, who replaced the injured Hardik Pandya, struggled with his line and length. His lack of experience in big matches was visible. Mohammed Siraj’s presence would have given India a better bowling attack and more confidence in defending or chasing targets.
Tilak Varma played a great innings of 69 runs to take India to victory, but the team should not depend on individual brilliance every time. Good team selection means having enough quality players to handle different match situations
Statistical Evidence Supporting The Arguments
Mohammed Siraj’s bowling numbers prove his value. In Test cricket, he has 124 wickets at an average of 31.06. His economy rate of 3.57 in Tests and 5.19 in ODIs shows his control over run flow. These numbers are better than Arshdeep Singh’s economy rates.
Shreyas Iyer’s batting stats show his consistency. His ODI average of 48.22 is excellent for a middle-order batsman. In the Champions Trophy 2025, he was the second highest run-scorer with 243 runs. This performance came in conditions similar to the Asia Cup, proving his ability to perform in big tournaments.
Hardik Pandya’s all-round numbers justify his importance. He has 98 T20I wickets, making him close to becoming only the second Indian to take 100 T20I wickets. His batting gives India the depth they need in lower order
Sanju Samson’s inconsistent form is visible in his stats. While he scored 531 runs in IPL 2024, his 2025 numbers show a decline. His average dropped to 35.62 in IPL 2025 from 48.27 in 2024. This downward trend in form should have been a concern for selectors.
India’s cricket team needs to learn from these Asia Cup experiences. Squad selection should focus on having quality backup players for every role. Depending too much on star players like Hardik Pandya can be risky in long tournaments.
The team management should consider players’ recent form and match situations. Mohammed Siraj’s experience and bowling stats make him a better choice than inexperienced bowlers. Shreyas Iyer’s consistent performance in ODI cricket proves his value in the middle order.
Future squad selections should prioritize depth over star power. Having players who can handle pressure in big matches is more important than having big names who might not perform when needed. The Asia Cup 2025 final win should not hide these important squad selection lessons.
India won the tournament, but they need to address these issues before the next major tournament. Better squad selection will help India win more consistently in international cricket. The team has talent, but using that talent correctly through good selection is equally important.
