India cricket team have decided to go with Shivam Dube in their playing XI in their Asia Cup 2025 opener against UAE instead of Rinku Singh. Despite the Mumbai all-rounder bowling for just 12 deliveries in IPL 2025, he has been included in the XI, leaving he likes of someone like Rinku Singh as a part of the team. India have opted to bowl first in their tournament opener against UAE on Wednesday.
Dube beats Rinku to India’s XI
There was a toss up between Dube and Rinku for a spot in India’s playing XI for India’s opener at the Asia Cup. However, it looks like head coach Gautam Gambhir has opted to go for the extra all-rounder in the from of Dube than an extra finisher in the form on Rinku. Despite bowling the bare minimum for CSK during IPL 2025, the all-rounder was seen seen bowling in full throttle ahead of Asia Cup, offering an insight into what was probably expected from him in the tournament.
As we have seen often in previous T20 internationals, this Indian team likes to elongate the batting and have multiple multi-faceted players in the starting XI. Hence, working on Dube’s bowling has been on the Bingo card for Morkel, who was previously credited by Dube himself back in February. The conditions when they get slower in Dubai could also help Dube.
Dube’s role in the team would elevate with him being the sixth-bowling option. For that, India’s bowling coach has been working behind the scenes with the medium pacer and wants to see him evolve as a four-over bowler in T20s.
India playing XI vs UAE
Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy
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