Former India opener Virender Sehwag has backed India led by Suryakumar Yadav to do well in Asia Cup 2025 in UAE but it won’t be a cakewalk for the Men in Blue he felt as other teams will come out to stop them. India will start their title defence at the Asia Cup 2025 when they face UAE on September 10th in Dubai. The Suryakumar Yadav-led India will be the favourites to retain the trophy that they won in 2023 when the tournament was played on an ODI format.
But this time, the tournament will be played on a T20I format as a build-up to the T20 World Cup 2026 in February-March. India named a strong 15-man squad earlier this week and Virender Sehwag feels that this team will do well in the subcontinental event and might win it although it won’t be a cakewalk for the Indian side.
Virender Sehwag Opines on India’s Chances in Asia Cup.
Speaking on a Sony Sports Network release, Virender Sehwag said: “Asia Cup has always brought out the best in Indian cricket. The team today has the skill, balance, and mindset to handle any challenge.”
He further added: “Playing in Dubai will be high-pressure, but that’s exactly the kind of stage where our players shine. I am confident India will once again make the nation proud by lifting the trophy.”
Virender Sehwag has scored over 17000 runs in international cricket and he has full faith in Surya’s captaincy citing his attacking mindset as the key to the team winning a record-extending 9th Asia Cup title.
Sehwag said: “This Indian team has the right mix of youth and experience, and under Surya’s fearless leadership, they can dominate Asia Cup once again. His attacking mindset suits the T20 format perfectly, and if the team plays with the same intent, I have no doubt India can lift the trophy.”
Virender Sehwag Talks About His Own Experience in playing the Asia Cup.
Virender Sehwag also recalled his own experience of playing in the Asia Cup and how he was excited to entertain the fans. He said: “One of my fondest memories of the Asia Cup is walking into the dressing room on match days and feeling the buzz even before stepping onto the field. You could hear the chants outside, feel the energy in every corner. I remember telling my teammates ‘today we won’t just play a match, we’ll give the fans a day they’ll never forget’.”
Placed in Group A, India first will face UAE in Dubai on September 10th before locking horns with Pakistan in Dubai on September 14th. They will then meet Oman on September 19th in Abu Dhabi. Group B comprises of Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong.
The group stage will be followed by the Super Four stage and the top two teams from this stage will contest the final on September 28th scheduled in Dubai.
It remains to be seen how India shapes up and performs in this Asia Cup as they will be playing T20Is after a gap of almost 9 months. So, there could be rustiness there. But the team they have picked is a solid team and should win the title compared to the other contenders. But T20 cricket is fickle and can surprise you and as Sehwag mentioned it won’t be a cakewalk for the Men in Blue.
The likes of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh will come hard at India and the Men in Blue must be prepared for any eventuality and try to get out of troubled and tricky situations. They will be tested for sure, but the hope is they will come out of it with flying colours. Let’s see how things unfold when the sub-continental event gets underway on September 9th with India playing and starting their campaign on the following day.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Ramandeep Singh Shares His Experience Of Playing With Shubman Gill.