Asia Cup: Sehwag picks Abhishek, Bumrah and Chakravarthy as India's match-winners

Former India opener Virender Sehwag has identified Abhishek Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakravarthy as the three players to watch in the upcoming Asia Cup. While the squad announcement has sparked debate over certain omissions, it is clear that India boasts a formidable side capable of challenging any T20I team across the globe. With Suryakumar Yadav taking over the captaincy following Rohit Sharma's retirement after the T20 World Cup triumph, India is ready to defend its title, starting with the opening match against the UAE on September 10.

"I think Abhishek Sharma can be a game-changer. Bumrah is always a game-changer. Varun Chakravarthy, with his mystery bowling, was very effective in the Champions Trophy and in the T20 format as well. So, these are some game changers for India who can win matches on their own," Sehwag said on Sony Sports.

India's all-format pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was last seen in T20Is during the 2024 T20 World Cup final. Since then, his appearances in white-ball cricket have been limited, as he was ruled out of the Champions Trophy due to a back injury. In the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the ace pacer featured in just three of the five Tests as part of workload management. Having last played T20 cricket in IPL 2025, Bumrah made a strong impact, taking 18 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 6.67.

Left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma, currently ranked No.1 in the ICC T20I batter rankings, has quickly established himself as a reliable opener since making his debut against Zimbabwe in July 2024. Known for his belligerent stroke play, Sharma enjoys the backing of the team management, and the upcoming Asia Cup could be the first major test for the swashbuckling batter on a big stage.

Varun Chakravarthy has been in sensational form since his comeback to the Indian team. In the series against Bangladesh, he was the highest wicket-taker and later baffled England in the five-match T20I series in January 2025, earning the Player of the Series award. Across 18 T20 matches, he has claimed 33 wickets at an economy rate of 7.02, proving that his clever mystery spin remains a crucial weapon in India's plans.

India's squad for the Asia Cup: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh

Standby players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel