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Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav has endured a lean patch in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 as he has failed to fire consistently in the tournament. After his match-winning, unbeaten 47 against India's group-stage clash against Pakistan, Suryakumar has managed only 17 runs in three innings, raising concerns about his form heading into the all-important final against Pakistan.
India will lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan for a third time in the tournament when they meet in the final on Sunday, September 28. Ahead of the crucial title-deciding encounter, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar shared a crucial piece of advice for the Indian skipper. The former India captain has suggested Suryakumar to take time in the middle and assess the pitch before going after the bowlers.
"He’s undoubtedly a class player. All I would suggest is that he give himself three or four deliveries in the middle to assess the conditions—check for pace, bounce, or turn. Watching from the dugout and stepping onto the field can feel very different," Gavaskar was quoted as saying by India Today.
"Sometimes, if a batter is ahead, it might seem like there’s nothing in the pitch, but it’s always better to take a few balls to gauge the conditions before playing your natural game," he added.
Suryakumar's dismal run with the willow continued in India's final Super 4 clash against Sri Lanka on Saturday as he was dismissed cheaply on 12 off 13 balls. It was his third successive failure in the tournament after low-key scores of 0 and 5 in his last two innings. The Indian skipper, who smashed 717 runs at an average of 65.18 and a strike rate of 167.91 for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025, has failed to replicate his form for the Men in Blue.
Gavaskar also insisted that having faced a difficult day against Sri Lanka in their final Super 4 game could prove to be beneficial for India ahead of the high-profile final against Pakistan. India were made to work hard as they managed to beat Sri Lanka in a Super Over despite posting a strong total of 202 runs on the board.
The bowlers failed to deliver as Pathum Nissanka slammed a brilliant ton and Kusal Perera scored a quickfire 58 to help Sri Lanka match India's total of 202 runs in 20 overs. However, Arshdeep Singh bowled an exceptional Super Over to help India keep their winning run intact in the tournament. Nonetheless, the Super Over win was a stark reality check for India ahead of the final.
“Facing a tough day before the final can actually be beneficial. It wasn’t a bad day; rather, it was a hard day at the office. The team managed to come through by maintaining their composure in the last few overs while defending the total," said Gavaskar.
