Sehwag tells Gautam Gambhir, Suryakumar Yadav to start 'building team' ahead of Asia Cup: 'In my opinion, there is...'

Veteran opener Virender Sehwag has stated that the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 will provide a golden opportunity for the Indian management to build a team for the next year's T20 World Cup. India will head into the tournament as defending champions, though this time with a fresh-looking side under a new captain and head coach. The All India Selection Committee has already announced the 15-member squad for the multi-nation tournament, with Suryakumar Yadav leading the side and Shubman Gill reinstated as his deputy after he missed the last couple of T20I series. There were also a few notable omissions as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna failed to make the cut despite an impressive IPL last season. Virender Sehwag shared his thoughts on Asia Cup 2025.(Hindustan Times)

Sehwag believes the upcoming Asia Cup will be an ideal platform for India to prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup. He said that the tournament offers a chance to test fresh talent, identify potential squad members, and begin shaping a team for the global event.

"I think in the T20 format, this Asia Cup can serve as a great preparation for our 2026 T20 World Cup. It’s an opportunity to see which new players should be given chances and who can be included in the squad. You can start building a team for the World Cup," Sehwag said on Sony Sports Network.

The veteran batter said it would be the best chance for Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav to analyse their strength and prepare accordingly for the future from thereon.

"In my opinion, there is no better opportunity for the Indian team to check its strength than the Asia Cup," he added.

Pace ace Jasprit Bumrah returned to the T20 squad after sitting out two games in England for workload management. His previous T20 appearance came in India’s World Cup triumph against South Africa at Barbados in June 2024.

The Asia Cup will begin on September 9, with defending champions India set to face hosts United Arab Emirates a day later in Dubai. India and arch-rivals Pakistan have been clubbed in Group A, and the most-anticipated clash in the tournament will take place on September 14.

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