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Jasprit Bumrah's return for India's Asia Cup opener against the UAE has sparked debate over workload management, following his absence from recent England Tests. Ajay Jadeja questioned deploying Bumrah in a low-pressure game, while Irfan Pathan advocated for his consistent availability throughout the series. India faces a balancing act in ensuring Bumrah's sharpness for major tournaments without risking early burnout.

Suryakumar Yadav, India's captain, has issued a confident warning to Pakistan ahead of their Asia Cup clash, emphasizing the team's inherent aggression on the field. He acknowledged the long gap since India's last T20I but expressed confidence in the team's preparation and adaptability.

Ravi Shastri advocates for wrist-spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav in India's Asia Cup XI, emphasizing Kuldeep's peak form. He believes Surya Kumar Yadav is a capable T20 captain, leading a fearless and talented team. Shastri acknowledges Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance but cautions against complacency, highlighting the need for spinners to perform well.

Defending champions India enter the Asia Cup 2025 as favorites, despite a recent lack of T20I match practice. Irfan Pathan believes India's strong NCA system ensures adequate preparation, cautioning them mainly against Afghanistan's potent spinners. He also highlighted Shubman Gill's vice-captaincy as beneficial and revealed Rohit Sharma's desire to continue playing ODIs, contingent on maintaining fitness and game-time.

The SA20 Season 4 Player Auction is set for September 9th in Johannesburg, featuring over 500 players vying for spots on six franchises. A record number of cricketers registered, including international stars like Shakib Al Hasan and James Anderson. Season 4 introduces an Under-23 player pick, with teams competing for 84 open spots and a total purse of US$7.37 million.

Mohammed Shami, despite his stellar record and contributions to Indian cricket, has faced online abuse, particularly after the 2021 T20 World Cup. Shami dismissed the trolls, emphasising his commitment to the team and urging respectful criticism. He also refuted retirement rumours, expressing his determination to return to the national side through domestic cricket.

Pakistan's bowling coach, Ashley Noffke, assures that Shaheen Afridi is regaining his top form before the Asia Cup, after battling a back injury in 2023. Afridi's pace is improving, with more balls reaching 140km/h during the West Indies series. He is working on his technique and swing to challenge the stumps consistently, aiming to hit speeds close to 150km/h.

Astrologer Greenstone Lobo predicts a strong comeback for Shreyas Iyer. Iyer was ignored for the Asia Cup 2025 squad. Lobo believes Iyer's horoscope indicates a potential captaincy. He suggests Iyer could lead India to a major tournament victory, possibly a World Cup. Lobo warns selectors against overlooking Iyer's talent.

Arshdeep Singh's Test debut in England was delayed due to injury and team selection, testing his patience. Punjab's bowling coach, Gagandeep Singh, believes Arshdeep should have been given a chance, given his swing bowling ability.

Wicket-keeper batter Jitesh Sharma, after a period of self-reflection following his initial T20I appearances, has made a remarkable comeback to the Indian team. His resurgence was fueled by a strong IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he showcased his finishing abilities and even captained the team in Rajat Patidar's absence.

Dinesh Karthik has voiced his strong disapproval of Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from India's 2025 Asia Cup squad, deeming it somewhat unjust. Iyer's impressive IPL 2025 performance, where he scored 604 runs, seemingly wasn't enough to secure him a spot, even among the reserves. Karthik emphasizes Iyer's leadership and batting prowess under pressure, suggesting his omission is a missed opportunity.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali expressed shock over the exclusion of Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami from India's Asia Cup squad. Ali believes Iyer's omission is particularly unjust, stating that in Pakistan, these players would be top-tier.