3 things India need to do right vs Bangladesh in Match 16 of Asia Cup 2025 ft. Axar Patel's role

India will lock horns with Bangladesh in Match 16 of the 2025 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, September 24. The Men in Blue are unbeaten in the competition so far and are the undoubted favorites for the title.

However, Bangladesh have played a spirited brand of cricket in the tournament. The Tigers eliminated Afghanistan in the group stage and started the Super 4 round with an impressive victory over Sri Lanka. Although they have rarely experienced success against India, Suryakumar Yadav and company will need to be wary of the threat they possess.

India's squad for the 2025 Asia Cup: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

Bangladesh's squad for the 2025 Asia Cup: Litton Das (c), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Tawhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali Anik, Shamim Hossain, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Shaif Uddin.

On that note, here are three things India need to do right in Match 16 of the 2025 Asia Cup against Bangladesh.

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#3 Axar Patel needs to be given a bigger role with the ball

India v Pakistan - Asia Cup - Source: Getty

Bangladesh have a good mix of right and left-handers, but Axar Patel still needs to be given a bigger role with the ball. The left-arm spinner has been impressive in that department in recent times, and with pitches in the Asia Cup starting to assist spin more by the day, he needs to be trusted to send down his full quota irrespective of the matchup.

In the previous game, Axar bowled just one over, perhaps influenced by his questionable match fitness after suffering a blow to the head and neck region. Shivam Dube then had to finish his quota, and his final over ended up costing India 17 runs.

Axar, who is capable of bowling in the powerplay and through the middle overs, must have a central role. Speaking of which...

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#2 Jasprit Bumrah can't bowl 3 overs in the powerplay

England & India Net Sessions - Source: Getty

In all three of his matches so far in the 2025 Asia Cup, Jasprit Bumrah has bowled three overs inside the powerplay. This is despite the fact that India have gone in with just one specialist fast bowler in those matches.

Bumrah has been off color, and making him bowl three on the trot upfront doesn't make sense. India need to test out new bowlers in that phase in the lead-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup, and more importantly, they need their ace spearhead to be available for at least one over through the middle overs and at the death.

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#1 India need to finalize their ideal No. 3 batter, and it probably isn't Tilak Varma

India v Pakistan - Asia Cup - Source: Getty

Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav have interchangeably batted at No. 3 over the last year or so in T20Is. Sanju Samson, who was previously opening the batting, has dropped down into a middle-order role following Shubman Gill's inclusion.

However, it's clear that Samson isn't at home in the middle order. His numbers at those positions have been consistently poor - in his T20I career, he barely strikes at 120 while having an average under 25 outside the top three.

India have chosen to play Samson ahead of Jitesh Sharma, and having done that, they need to give him a real chance to succeed. Samson needs to bat at No. 3, and if that means Tilak drops down, that's a sacrifice they'll have to make.