Oman put a rather complacent Team India to the tilt in the Asia Cup clash on Friday. However, Oman’s inexperience meant India got over the line. It produced not just a 21-run win but also an intriguing talking point. Suryakumar Yadav, the captain and usually India’s batting mainstay, chose not to come out to bat despite India losing eight wickets. Instead, he pushed himself down to No. 11, giving others in the line-up a chance to spend time in the middle.
The decision was a bit unusual for Suryakumar, who wanted the unused players to get enough time in the middle. The situation became interesting in the dying moments of the game when he pushed players like Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh ahead of him.
India, riding on Sanju Samson’s scratchy half-century and handy contributions from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma, posted 188/8 in their 20 overs. The total proved too steep for Oman, who fell short by 21 runs. Yet, instead of the margin of victory, the spotlight shifted to Suryakumar’s tactical call.
Sunil Gavaskar backs Suryakumar
Legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar backed the skipper’s choice while admitting Surya could have used the chance to get a few quick runs.
“If he had batted for even one over, he could have hit a few fours and sixes and that would have been good for him. But the way he batted against Pakistan, maybe he doesn’t need batting practice. He may have thought Kuldeep Yadav’s batting could come in handy if India lose quick wickets in one of the matches. Perhaps that’s why he may have sent Kuldeep in to bat,” Gavaskar said on Sony Sports.
The former India captain also applauded Suryakumar’s unconventional leadership traits, recalling his surprise moves from past series. “He is a very unorthodox thinker. We saw in Sri Lanka that he himself bowled and also gave Rinku Singh the ball. He turned the game, which seemed to have slipped away, on its head and won India the match. He is an innovative thinker. Maybe that’s why he did not bat and sent in Kuldeep and Arshdeep Singh,” Gavaskar added.
Son Rohan Gavaskar doesn’t agree
However, Rohan Gavaskar struck a different note, questioning the logic of holding back Rinku Singh when the skipper himself didn’t bat. “What doesn’t register with me is, if Suryakumar Yadav isn’t going to bat clearly because he’s sent Arshdeep, Harshit, and Kuldeep all ahead of him, then he might as well take a rest. Give Rinku a go.”
“You’re not going to bat; you’re not going to contribute with the ball. If that’s the whole thought process, then let Rinku have a game,” Rohan said on Cricbuzz. Rohan made a great point of not including Rinku Singh in the mix. After the India vs Oman game, Rinku and Jitesh Sharma remain the only two players who haven’t got game time in this Asia Cup 2025.
