Team India will enter the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE as defending champions, but three of their stalwarts from the 2023 title-winning squad will not feature this time.
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja—who were instrumental in India’s previous triumph—have all retired from T20 internationals following the 2024 T20 World Cup, ruling them out of the competition.
Ravindra Jadeja
Jadeja was another vital contributor in India’s previous Asia Cup win, featuring in all six matches and claiming six wickets.
His best figures were 3 for 40, and during the tournament he also went past Irfan Pathan to become India’s highest wicket-taker in Asia Cup history. Following the 2024 T20 World Cup, the all-rounder announced his retirement from T20Is, ending his Asia Cup journey as well.
Virat Kohli
Batting legend Virat Kohli played his last T20I during the 2024 World Cup before stepping away from the format.
In the 2023 Asia Cup, he was one of India’s key performers, scoring 129 runs in three innings at an impressive average of 64.50. His standout moment came against Pakistan, where he struck an unbeaten 122, his highest score in the tournament.
Rohit Sharma
The 2023 Asia Cup victory came under Rohit’s leadership, with the opener also leading from the front with the bat.
In six matches, Rohit accumulated 194 runs at an average of 48.50, including three half-centuries. His best knock was an unbeaten 74, and across the event he struck 21 boundaries and 11 sixes at a strike rate of 107.77.
Like Kohli, he too retired from T20Is after the 2024 World Cup, and will not be seen in this year’s campaign.
India to face UAE in first Asia Cup match
India will begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign on September 10 when they face UAE in their opening group-stage match.
The tournament, scheduled to be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28, will be played in the T20 format this year. After the first game, India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14, a fixture that always draws massive global attention. Their final league encounter is set for September 19 against Oman.
Depending on results, India and Pakistan may even meet multiple times, including a potential clash in the knockout stages and the grand finale.
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