Team India are off and running in the 2025 Asia Cup with a predictably dominant win over the UAE in Dubai on September 10. Entering the tournament as massive favorites, the Men in Blue lived up to the billing in their tournament opener, decimating the UAE with bat and ball.Winning the toss and bowling first, India were ruthless from the get-go, bowling the UAE out for a dismal 57 in 13.1 overs. In response, the batters enjoyed themselves with no scoreboard and completed the run chase in a mere 4.3 overs.It was India's fastest-ever win in a run chase in T20Is, making it a phenomenal 26 wins in their last 29 short-format matches. Despite the result being along expected lines, former players and fans had plenty of takeaways from the contest as India turn their attention to the all-important clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday, September 14.On that note, let us revisit the top five expert reactions to India's stunning nine-wicket win over the UAE in their 2025 Asia Cup opener.#1 Ravichandran AshwinFormer Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was unimpressed with the side's bowling combination despite the thumping win over the UAE to begin their Asia Cup campaign. The legendary spinner questioned the dropping of left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh and his diminished role in the Indian team since Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach last year.Talking about the same after the UAE game on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said:"It's surprising that Arshdeep has been dropped, but it's not a new thing. Has been happening since Gautam Gambhir started coaching. Arshdeep did not play the entire Champions Trophy as well. It has been a bit of a theme. Maybe considering Dubai conditions, they are preferring spinners. When Gambhir won the title for KKR, he was also going all-out on spin," said Ashwin"This is the theme that we could see until the T20 World Cup. But I doubt this combination can work against a good team. It's quite risky. Arshdeep is a big performer. He was phenomenal in the World Cup against South Africa. To keep a man like that out for a very long time is going to be hard. I know Shivam Dube took a few wickets, but this is not a bowling combination I would be convinced with."Arshdeep is India's all-time leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 99 scalps in 63 matches at an outstanding average of 18.30. He was also the leading wicket-taker in the 2024 T20 World Cup with 17 scalps as India triumphed in the West Indies and the USA.#2 Murali KartikFormer left-arm spinner Murali Kartik was unwilling to read too much into India's dominant win in their Asia Cup opener over the UAE, from the batting order to the bowling combinations. Kartik went as far as calling the game a 'glorified net session' with very little to gain."I don't think we need to read into anything from today's game. It just felt like a glorified net session. It was a walk in the park. I think they would have put more thought into a net session than what they did today. They've just cantered to the win. Tough to say as what you read into a UAE game, things could be different," said Kartik on Cricbuzz.India have won both their T20Is against the UAE, both by nine wickets, with the first coming in the 2016 Asia Cup.#3 Aakash ChopraFormer opener Aakash Chopra was ruthless in his assessment of the India-UAE Asia Cup clash, suggesting an India A side would have soundly beaten the UAE. The match lasted under 20 overs, with both teams combining for only 17.4 overs, much to the disappointment of the fans at the venue."India A team will also hammer them (UAE) to be fair, again, no disrespect. But, the alternate India XI that you want to pick today, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Iyer, Ruturaj, and what not, you will find that they will beat them," said Chopra (via ESPN Cricinfo).Chopra also claimed that the Indian XI will remain the same for their upcoming encounter against Pakistan.#4 Ajay JadejaFormer Indian batter Ajay Jadeja questioned the Asia Cup format and whether there should be eight teams playing in the tournament for the sake of competitiveness. Oman, Hong Kong, and the UAE are the three non-Test-playing nations participating in the ongoing edition."There is no doubt that India are the superior team, but there was no contest at all. There is sadness because of the way the UAE approached their innings. You can’t compete against India, but at least play the full 20 overs. When we are talking about such a big tournament, and the Asia Cup is not a small tournament, they will have to reconsider whether they should keep eight teams. This performance was discouragement, not encouragement," said Jadeja (via Zee News).India's win with 93 balls to spare was the second fastest in T20I history, behind only England's victory over Oman last year with 106 balls to spare.#5 Kris SrikkanthFormer Indian captain Kris Srikkanth slammed the UAE for their lack of fight in the crushing defeat to India in the second match of the 2025 Asia Cup. The 106 balls in the entire match were the fourth fewest balls in a T20I game involving a Full member team."This was not a T20 match, it was like a T-5 match. The UAE batters were getting out if you just bowl at the stumps. Even a third division side won't play this bad. Should teams like UAE play in such tournaments? What's the benefit of encouraging such teams? Such tournaments with the non-Test playing nations will make even ardent cricket fans lose interest in the sport," said Srikkanth (via his YouTube channel)The win took India's net run-rate to an improbable +10.483 after just one match in Group A of the Asia Cup.