India Weighs Third Spinner or Pacer as All-Rounders Take Centre Stage at Asia Cup

India's team for the Asia Cup opener against hosts UAE on Wednesday will likely hinge on head coach Gautam Gambhir's emphasis on all-rounders to provide batting depth, as they remain undecided on including a third spinner or a specialist pacer.

Key players like Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma will open, with Tilak Varma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav anchoring the middle order, supported by versatile performers such as Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Axar Patel, who offer both batting and bowling options.

The Dubai pitch, expected to have more bounce in September, may influence selections, with only one spot left alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, potentially going to either Varun Chakravarthy or Kuldeep Yadav, while Jitesh Sharma edges out Sanju Samson for the finisher's role.

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For the UAE, under coach Lalchand Rajput, players like Muhammad Waseem and Rahul Chopra see this as a prime opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition, making the match a crucial warm-up for India's bigger clash with Pakistan on September 14.

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