NEW DELHI: India skipper Suryakumar Yadav will once again bank on his spin trio as the team prepares for another high-voltage Super 4 clash against Pakistan in the Asia Cup at Dubai on Sunday.

While India–Pakistan encounters have always carried an air of tension, this time the build-up has been fuelled even more by off-field drama. Last Sunday's storm erupted after Suryakumar and his men chose not to shake hands with their rivals, a gesture that drew sharp reactions.

Sources indicate that India are expected to stick to the same stance this weekend as well, with handshakes unlikely to feature. Meanwhile, across the border, Pakistan's players and supporters are already billing the contest as a "Grudge Match."

Sundays are rarely restful, and skipper Suryakumar - who guided India's chase in their seven-wicket win last weekend - would attest to that.

In this Asia Cup, Suryakumar carries multiple roles on his shoulders: the team's premier batter, a tactical mastermind, and a flagbearer for the country - all at once.

What could cause a bit of concern, however, is Axar Patel's head injury sustained while attempting a catch against Oman. Both Suryakumar and head coach Gautam Gambhir will be keeping a close watch, though fielding coach T Dilip has eased worries, saying the all-rounder appeared to be recovering well.

Ahead of the Pakistan clash, Suryakumar had a few concerns to address in his line-up. Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh looked off-colour, as little-known Pakistan-born Oman cricketers - 43-year-old Aamir Kaleem and Hammad Mirza - took them apart with ease.

Come Sunday, however, India will be back at full strength with Jasprit Bumrah returning to the XI. His very presence is known to lift the team's morale. Alongside him, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy will also slot back in, both having been rested for the inconsequential previous game.

The pitches on offer at the Dubai International Stadium are helping the slow bowlers and onus will once again be on Kuldeep Yadav (eight wickets in the tournament so far), Axar and Varun to tilt the scales decisively in India's favour.

In case Axar is reported unfit by this evening, there is enough time to fly in a Washington Sundar or a Riyan Parag to fill in that slot although it won't exactly be a like-for-like replacement.

For Pakistan, a team whose beauty lay in its unpredictability, the current side surprisingly lacks quality, especially in the batting department where none of the players can read the slow bowlers from the hand.

For a country that produced champion players like Javed Miandad, Inzamam ul Haq, Saleem Malik, and Ijaz Ahmed in the bygone years, the current lot's technique is rather poor.

Opener Saim Ayub, the left-hander who scored back-to-back ducks, has become a subject of ridicule for making more impact with the ball.

"Saim Ayub had the ambition of becoming Saeed Anwar but he is turning into Saeed Ajmal,", goes the joke on the specialist opener for having taken more wickets in the tournament than the number of runs scored.

Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz are two batters, who are trying to hit out of trouble and only Shaheen Shah Afridi, to everyone's surprise, has looked like the best batter in the squad.

Currently, there seem to be only two players, who can keep them in fight -- Fakhar Zaman, the best batter in the squad, and Shaheen, who would like to bowl a better first spell against Abhishek Sharma.

Unlike the last game against India when Pakistan played a third spinner in left-armer Sufiyan Muqeem, there is more chance of fast bowler Haris Rauf getting the nod on Sunday after his impressive show against the UAE in their last group league game.

While Sanju Samson scored a scratchy fifty against Oman, it is unlikely that he would bat No. 3 against Pakistan if right-hander Shubman Gill gets out quickly.

It would be skipper Suryakumar, who would again be back at his familiar position which made him a world No.1 batter.

In case Abhishek gets out in Powerplay, then left-handed Tilak Varma will bat at No.3.

For India, runs from Gill and some quality batting time for Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube hasn't happened so far. But one can trust India's top four to handle the Pakistani bowlers.

In any case, Suryakumar and his men know when and to what extent the outside noise needs to be shut.

Squads:

India: Suyakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.

Pakistan:Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.

Match starts at 8pm IST.

(With PTI Inputs)