The Indian cricket team will be back on the field next week after a month off to start its Asia Cup campaign in the UAE. Madan Lal, who won the World Cup in 1983, has said that India is the clear favorite to win the competition. Lal thinks that spinner Kuldeep Yadav should be on the playing XI because his unique bowling technique gives him a big edge in the T20 format.
India will start their competition on September 10 in Dubai against the UAE. The highly anticipated match versus Pakistan, their biggest foe, will take place on September 14 in Dubai. India’s last group stage game will be at Abu Dhabi against Oman on September 19.
Madan Lal told ANI, “India is a strong favorite because their team is so good.” He said that T20 cricket is hard to forecast and mentioned a few possible candidates, saying, “The unpredictability of the T20 format and the performances of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan — noting that Afghanistan is currently playing well.”
Lal also talked about the controversy over the team selection, especially the fact that Shreyas Iyer wasn’t picked. He said that selectors and coaches often decide how to put together teams. He thought Afghanistan might be able to beat Pakistan, whose current performance and level of confidence he questioned. He also thought that Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan were “strong contenders” for the title.
When asked about the team’s makeup, Madan Lal strongly suggested Kuldeep Yadav. “Kuldeep Yadav should be on the team because his bowling style is hard to counter in T20 cricket. However, the final choice will depend on the conditions of the pitch and the makeup of the team.” He said that Dubai should have two spinners and three pace bowlers.
Yadav was picked for India’s Asia Cup team, but he didn’t get to participate in the five-Test series against England that just ended. Even so, his international record is impressive: he has taken 69 wickets in 40 international games, at an average of 14.07. He had his best game against South Africa, when he took 5/17. Yadav’s final international game was in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, when he did well, taking 15 wickets in 14 games with an average of 24.07 and an amazing economy of 7.08.
The Indian team only has two additional spinners besides Axar Patel: Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. Interestingly, India used three spinners to win the ICC crown twice before: the T20 World Cup last year and the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
The Super 4 stage runs from September 20 to 26. The top two teams from each group will move on to this level. If India wins Group A, all of its Super 4 games will take place in Dubai. If they come in second, they will play one of their Super 4 games in Abu Dhabi and the other two in Dubai. On September 28, the competition final will take place in Dubai.