In the thrilling Asia Cup 2025 final, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lauded Tilak Varma’s stellar performance. Varma’s unbeaten 69 guided India to a memorable five-wicket victory over Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, successfully chasing down a target of 147 runs with two balls to spare. His composed innings was critical, pulling India out of a challenging situation at 20 for 3.
Pakistan’s Haris Rauf (AP /PTI)
Ashwin didn’t just highlight Varma’s calm demeanor under pressure; he also praised his technical brilliance against both fast and spin bowling throughout the chase. “Tilak Varma absolutely stole the show. He showed he’s got ice in his veins,” Ashwin remarked on his YouTube channel. “It was an outstanding knock. India was in a very precarious situation, but honestly, thanks to Haris Rauf, we won the match easily.”
The former spinner delved deeper into Varma’s technical mastery, particularly his quick adaptation to the pitch conditions. “Tilak Varma absorbed the pressure magnificently. His spin play was exceptional; he utilized sweeps and drove the ball down the ground effectively. He quickly grasped that the pitch had a slightly sticky, lumpy bounce and began playing square of the wicket,” Ashwin elaborated. “People might think hitting a shot like that (the six off Rauf) is easy, but it’s incredibly difficult to get in line and pick it up precisely.”
India’s spin duo, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy, also played pivotal roles in containing Pakistan’s initial strong start. “I want to specially credit Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. It was a next-level comeback. Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman had given them a superb start,” Ashwin noted. “However, there’s a distinct difference between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has historically handled our spinners beautifully and made smart shot selections. While Pakistan boasts very good players of spin in Asia, this was a big match, and many in the Indian team are accustomed to facing such pressure.”
Kuldeep Yadav concluded the tournament as the leading wicket-taker, claiming an impressive 17 wickets in seven matches at an average of 9.29.
Ashwin further explained Kuldeep Yadav’s remarkable effectiveness, attributing it to the unique characteristics of Dubai’s pitches. “The reason Kuldeep Yadav bowled so exceptionally well is due to how the ball behaved. The shot that Sanju got out playing, for instance, would have been a six over extra cover in an IPL game in Jaipur. But in Dubai, when bowled slowly, the ball tends to sit up, becoming lumpy with more bounce, often leading to a top edge,” he clarified. “Consider Saim Ayub’s dismissal; he tried to cut but it took an edge and Jasprit Bumrah caught it at point. Wickets like this simply wouldn’t fall in the IPL. Think about it carefully; that’s likely the key difference.”
This hard-fought victory was a significant achievement for the Indian team, particularly under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, showcasing strong contributions from both their batting and bowling units throughout the successful campaign.
The tournament underscored India’s formidable depth in both batting and spin bowling, with emerging talents like Tilak Varma rising to the occasion in crucial moments and seasoned bowlers such as Kuldeep Yadav consistently delivering top-tier performances.