Former spinner excited for Abrar versus India battle in Asia Cup

Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his excitement about the potential clash between Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed and India’s batting line-up in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.

Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Ashwin praised Abrar but cautioned that he needs to adapt quickly against India’s high-quality batting order.

"I am definitely looking forward to the contest between Abrar Ahmed and our Indian team. In modern-day cricket, it’s difficult to bowl as slowly as he does, but recently, Abrar produced a match-winning performance by picking up four wickets against the UAE. He bowls googlies, carrom balls, and other variations," Ashwin stated.

"Still, he must find a way to succeed against India. Another challenge is that Pakistani players don’t get the opportunity to play against Indians, as they are not part of the IPL. Many spinners around the world continue to bowl slowly, but for Abrar, this will be a learning curve. That said, he has all the tools required," he added.

He also lauded Sahibzada Farhan for his fearless approach at the top of the order, drawing parallels with Indian opener Abhishek Sharma.

"Pakistan has exceptional talent. One such player is Sahibzada Farhan, who plays in a style similar to Abhishek Sharma, attacking the bowlers right from the first ball. This approach is highly encouraging. With Mike Hesson recently taking charge and Salman Ali Agha leading as captain, Pakistan is looking to adopt an explosive brand of cricket," he said.

The 38-year-old explained that Pakistan’s new model relies on aggressive batting powerhouses such as Fakhar Zaman, Haris and Saim Ayub.

"There are many such cricketing models being tested, each with its fair share of hits and misses. In this particular model, they rely heavily on explosive batters like Haris and Fakhar Zaman," he stated. 

"Personally, I believe Fakhar is the best batter in the Pakistan side. Then there’s Saim Ayub, who also contributes with the ball."

However, the offbreak bowler pointed out that Pakistan’s tendency to collapse after strong starts could cost them dearly against stronger opponents.

"The team often starts off aggressively but sometimes collapses to around 80-5 before scrambling to a modest total of about 140. While the model itself is fine, to challenge India, you need to score at least 180," he said.

Discussing the broader Asia Cup picture, Ashwin underlined India’s dominance.

"The best-case scenario for any team is to bowl first and restrict India to a modest score. However, I don’t think any team really stands a chance against India in this Asia Cup," he concluded.