The cricket world witnessed the closing of an era last year when three of India’s most celebrated cricketers – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja – bid farewell to international T20 cricket. Their retirement followed India’s historic T20 World Cup triumph in Bridgetown, where they overcame South Africa in a gripping seven-run final that ended nearly two decades of frustration in the format.
Each departure left a void difficult to fill. Sharma exits as the highest run-scorer in T20 international history, a batter whose sheer consistency at the top defined Indian dominance in white-ball cricket. Jadeja, widely regarded as the most complete all-rounder since Jacques Kallis, brought balance across all formats, while Kohli’s reputation as one of the finest batters in modern cricket speaks for itself. Their absence represents the closing chapter of a golden generation and the opening act for India’s next wave of cricketers.
A Rocky Start, Then a Surge
In the immediate aftermath of their retirement, alarm bells rang when an inexperienced Indian side fell to Zimbabwe by 13 runs in Harare. It was India’s first defeat to Zimbabwe in eight years and raised concerns about how quickly the new-look team could adapt.
But what followed was nothing short of remarkable. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, India responded with renewed intent, winning 17 of their next 19 T20 internationals. They surged back to the top of the ICC rankings, defeating South Africa 3-1 in their backyard and dismantling England 4-1 on home soil. This run of success steadied the ship and built momentum heading into their biggest challenge yet – the Asia Cup.
The Asia Cup: First Major Test
The Asia Cup marks India’s first major T20 tournament since the retirement of their stalwarts, offering the new generation a chance to stamp their authority on the international stage. The squad has been finalized, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the pace attack, though Rishabh Pant remains absent as he recovers from a fractured ankle sustained in Manchester.
Former Australian paceman Brett Lee underlined the significance of this moment. Speaking on Fox Sports’ The Follow-On Podcast, he said:
“There’s no Kohli, there’s no Rohit Sharma, there’s no Jadeja. We’d love these heroes of the game to play as long as possible, but it’s not the case. What it does do is open up a lot of different doors for these young players coming through. This is their time to shine now. It’s a new-look India, with a few more people on the bus sitting in a few different spots. The squad hasn’t changed a lot, but there will be a lot of younger guys in different positions that will have an opportunity to stand up.”
Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma: The New Opening Pair?
One of the biggest storylines heading into the Asia Cup revolves around India’s opening combination. Shubman Gill, the Test captain, returns to the T20 fold after a stellar IPL campaign with Gujarat Titans, where he averaged 50 with a strike rate of 155.87. Alongside him is Abhishek Sharma, who has quickly established himself as one of India’s most explosive batters. Since debuting in July last year, the Sunrisers Hyderabad star has averaged 33.43 at a blistering strike rate of 193.84, including centuries against England and Zimbabwe.
Their emergence has complicated matters for Sanju Samson, who had formed a destructive opening partnership with Abhishek. Samson has been India’s second-highest T20I run-scorer since July last year, piling on 487 runs at 34.78 with three centuries.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar admitted the decision was not straightforward:
“Abhishek’s performances make it hard to leave him out, plus his bowling is handy. It’s their headache to pick the batting line-up. Our job was to pick the 15. We’ve got some real depth as far as T20 cricket is concerned, and we are very happy about it.”
Samson’s Future Role
While Samson’s spot looks uncertain, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the stylish batter should not be discarded. Instead, he suggested Samson could be reimagined as a versatile option lower down the order.
“Somebody like a Sanju, who can maybe even bat at three and if needed, could come down at six as a finisher,” Gavaskar told the Sony Sports Network. “Jitesh has also done well in the recently concluded IPL. My feeling is that maybe Samson will probably get the nod ahead of Jitesh for at least the first couple of games. And then depending on what his form is for the rest of the tournament. If you take somebody like a Samson in the fifteen, then you can’t leave him out in the reserve.”
With Pant unavailable, Jitesh Sharma has been drafted in as the wicketkeeper. The 31-year-old has not played T20I cricket since January 2024 but made a strong case during this year’s IPL, averaging 37.28 with a strike rate of 176.35.
Filling Kohli’s Shoes at No. 3
Replacing Virat Kohli at No. 3 is an unenviable task, yet Tilak Varma has emerged as the frontrunner. At just 22, he already boasts 413 T20I runs at an average of 82.60 and a strike rate of 170.66. His consecutive hundreds against South Africa last November turned heads globally, marking him as one of India’s most exciting young talents.
However, the inclusion of Abhishek and Varma has come at the cost of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer, whose omissions surprised many. Former spinner Maninder Singh voiced his disappointment:
“I was a little disappointed not to see these two names. Jaiswal, I think, is ready for any format and he should be there in any team. As far as Iyer is concerned, I really don’t know why he keeps getting left out of the Indian side because he’s such a fantastic player and such a positive player and contributes to the team.”
All-Round Depth
The void left by Jadeja appears to be covered by Axar Patel, who offers both bowling stability and batting depth. With 71 T20Is already to his name, Patel is a seasoned operator capable of playing the dual role of finisher and fifth bowler. Alongside him, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube provide additional all-round strength.
Eyes on the Trophy
India enters the Asia Cup as the defending champions, having won the 2023 edition in the 50-over format. Lifting the T20 trophy this time would provide a significant boost ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup, which India will host on home soil.
For now, the focus rests on the younger generation stepping into the shoes of legends. The task is monumental, but with talent like Gill, Abhishek, Varma, and Samson at their disposal, India’s future looks bright.
India’s Asia Cup Squad
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh
Fixtures (Local Time)
September 10 vs UAE, 7:30pm in Dubai
September 14 vs Pakistan, 7:30pm in Dubai
September 19 vs Oman, 7:30pm in Abu Dhabi
