Atul Wassan said India’s problem of plenty is a major conundrum for the national selectors.Former India cricketer Atul Wassan has expressed strong confidence that even India’s B team could comfortably defeat the current Pakistan side in the Asia Cup 2025. The high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan is scheduled for September 14 at the Dubai International Stadium.
India may have hoped for a sterner test in their Asia Cup opener, but instead it turned into a showcase of dominance. The bowlers, led by Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube, dismantled UAE with ease before the top order joined the party. Abhishek Sharma unleashed a flurry of big hits, Shubman Gill looked just as commanding, and even skipper Suryakumar Yadav chipped in with a six during his brief stay. A statement start, if there ever was one.
India and Pakistan both head into Sunday’s Asia Cup 2025 Group A showdown on the back of overwhelming wins, but the sheer contrast in quality between the sides will mean that the Men in Blue’s second-string team can also annihilate Salman Agha’s team, felt former India bowler Atul Wassan.
Insisting that Indians have barely felt the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the short-format transition since the end of the previous World Cup in June 2024, Wassan said India’s problem of plenty is a major conundrum for the national selectors.
Atul Wassan makes a prediction on India vs Pakistan match
Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan has expressed strong confidence that even India’s B team could comfortably defeat the current Pakistan side in the Asia Cup 2025. The high-voltage clash between Indian Team and Pakistan is scheduled for September 14 at the Dubai International Stadium. Wassan, a member of India’s 1990-91 Asia Cup-winning team, emphasized that the dynamics have changed drastically since the 1990s when Pakistan was considered a superior side.
“India’s B team will also beat this Pakistan team because things have changed. When we played in the 90s, they were a very good side. Now the boot is on the other foot.” Atul Wassan said
The former Indian pacer also remarked on the absence of legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who retired from T20 internationals following India’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory.
“I will not miss Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) because then I will start missing Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev also,” Atul Wassan told CNN-News18.
He added,
“The king is dead, long live the king. Things move, new superstars come in, and this embarrassment of riches… I feel sorry for the selectors because to keep everyone in the mix, it’s a tough job deciding who stays and who goes.”
India’s last encounter with Pakistan was in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where Virat Kohli’s unbeaten century helped Rohit Sharma-led India defeat Pakistan by six wickets in a one-sided contest. With India’s dominant win against the UAE to open their Asia Cup 2025 campaign, led by captain Suryakumar Yadav, confidence is high heading into the clash with Pakistan. After bowling out UAE for just 57 runs, India chased down the target in just 4.2 overs to register a dominant nine-wicket victory.
This encounter promises to be a fiercely contested battle of Asian cricket giants, carrying immense historic and political significance beyond the boundary. However, the Indian camp insists their focus is purely on cricket and performance, undeterred by off-field tensions. India’s updated squad without Rohit and Kohli seeks to cement the next generation’s place on cricket’s biggest stages, facing Pakistan’s Salman Agha-led side with determination and high expectations ahead of the Asia Cup 2025.