Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has backed skipper Suryakumar Yadav following his uncharacteristic move to bat himself down to No. 11 in India’s irrelevant group-stage match against Oman at the Asia Cup 2025. With India already qualifying for the Super Four with commanding victories over UAE and Pakistan, SKY utilized the chance to experiment with the batting order and provide the lower-order batsmen with much-needed time in the middle.
India scored 188/8 in their 20 overs and went on to defeat Oman by 12 runs despite a last-minute hitch from the opposing batters. Discussing on Sony Sports, Gavaskar stated,
“If he had played for at least one over, he would have hit a couple of fours and sixes and that would have benefited him. But the manner in which he played against Pakistan, perhaps he does not require batting practice.”
Giving Kuldeep and Arshdeep a Strategic Push
Gavaskar complimented the Indian captain for looking beyond the apparent and ensuring India’s bench strength was put to the test ahead of the more challenging matches.
“He might have hoped that Kuldeep Yadav’s batting might prove useful if India lose early wickets in one of the games. Maybe that is why he promoted Kuldeep to bat. He is a highly unconventional thinker.”
The 76-year-old also emphasized Suryakumar’s thinking out of the box, remembering his previous choice of bowling himself and giving the ball to Rinku Singh in the Sri Lanka series, which changed the game in India’s favor.
Suryakumar Speaks on His Strategy
Post-match, Suryakumar Yadav spoke with the media and jokingly spoke of his batting position,
“Certainly, I’ll attempt from next game (joking about batting higher than No. 11). Overall impressive, I believe, Oman played unbelievable brand of cricket. I knew with their coach, Sulu sir (Sulakshan Kulkarni), there will be khadoosness. It was fantastic, really enjoyed watching them bat.”
He also spoke of the need to provide opportunity to lower-order batters to expose them to match pressure, adding it would make them prepared for turning points in high-stakes matches.
Attention Turns to Super Four Showdown Against Pakistan
With India facing arch-rivals Pakistan for the second time in the Super Four encounter on Sunday, Suryakumar is keen to ensure team balance and morale. Suryakumar heaped praise on the all-round show by Hardik Pandya despite getting out and stressed the need to be mentally sharp in a hot and humid climate.
“It’s a bit tricky when you’re sitting and then all of a sudden you come out and perform. It’s really humid here. Ready for Super Fours,” SKY declared, giving an indication of confidence before the headline match.
Sunil Gavaskar’s Final Word
Gavaskar put it succinctly by terming SKY’s move as an indicator of good leadership.
“This indicates that he is looking ahead. Such tactics condition the team for pressure cricket and ensure each player is match-fit.”
As India’s campaign gathers momentum, Suryakumar Yadav’s unorthodox approach can become a masterstroke as the tournament wears on.
