Asia Cup 2025 Analysis: Invincible India stamp their authority once again

Dubai: Seventh heaven. That’s where India catapulted themselves to at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, never mind that there was no trophy to celebrate their seventh successive victory at the T20 Asia Cup.

Carrying overwhelming favouritism, all-win India cruised through the continental bash without moving beyond third gear.

Even at below their best, they were too formidable for the chasing pack; Sri Lanka presented them their stiffest challenge and Pakistan threatened at various stages of Sunday’s title clash but like champion sides invariably do, India responded with brutal beauty when it came to the crunch, riding on the sum of their parts that was greater than the whole to win the Asia Cup for a record-extending ninth time.

The obvious stars were exceptional opener Abhishek Sharma and magical left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, with 314 runs and 17 wickets respectively.

The former set the tone innings after innings with his fearlessness and controlled fury, the latter took the diametrically opposite route in the middle overs by using guile and deception rather than violence as his calling card. India rode piggyback on their sustained brilliance, but while this duo will understandably attract most of the encomiums, this campaign wasn’t about them alone.

Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill, on his return to international 20-over cricket, had a tournament to forget if measured purely by numbers. But the captain was instrumental in ensuring that despite the drama and the unpleasantness around them, his charges were focussed on cricket and excised themselves from potentially decisive distractions.

Gill, who was unrecognisable as the behemoth which amassed 754 in five Tests in England, barely hit his straps but in Abhishek’s company, he put on successive stands of 105 and 77 at a frenetic pace, which struck terror in the hearts of all opponents.

Great sides shade half the contest in the mind, before the protagonists even get on the park. India seem to be occupying the heads of their rivals rent-free, with very good reason. There is an aura of invincibility about them as they extend their preparations for the defence of the ICC World Cup at home early next year.

Since their heist against South Africa in Bridgetown in June last year, they have stacked up a 24-3 record in T20Is. Along the way, they have sometimes had to scrap and fight and claw their way back from the beyond, but so unshakeable is their belief and such is the faith they have in each other that they have never approached any cause as a losing one.

That was never more in evidence than in Sunday’s nervy final which was overshadowed by the post-match fiasco that resulted in the champion team not being presented with the trophy that was rightfully theirs. First in the field, and then when they were chasing 147 for glory, India were put under immense pressure.

At 113 for one with nearly eight overs to go, Pakistan seemed set to bat India out of the final when Kuldeep weaved his magic and the other bowlers rallied around him.

Pakistan lost nine for 33; a snooker maximum now stood between India and title No. 9.

Say what you may of Pakistan, but when they are fired up, they are more than a handful. Once they dismissed Abhishek early, they were all over India like a bad rash, winkling out the beleaguered Suryakumar and Gill to leave their bitter foes gasping at 20 for three. The situation called for calmness, for commonsense, for composure and poise, for maturity and situational awareness, for tact and placement and agility and power and the not-so-common trait of knowing which bowlers and areas to target.

Even without the pressure of a final and who the opponent was, it was a tall order. Delivered with aplomb by a 22-year-old – 22! – left-hander who is now the toast of a nation.

Tilak Varma has two centuries in T20Is, but his unbeaten 69 has taken him where those tons didn’t – to cricketing stratosphere, straight into the hearts of millions. The unflappable Hyderabadi with a computer for a brain masterminded one of the more popular modern-day chases. His knock, more than anything else, defined India’s campaign -- unyielding, unbowed, untamed.