Following India’s triumphant chase in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan in Dubai, former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lauded young sensation Tilak Varma for his unbeaten 69, which sealed a five-wicket victory with two balls to spare. Varma’s composed innings was pivotal in rescuing India from a challenging 20/3. Ashwin also credited the impressive performance of India’s spin duo, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy, for their crucial role in restricting Pakistan after a strong opening.
Ashwin particularly highlighted Varma’s remarkable ability to handle pressure and his skillful play against both pace and spin during the tense chase.
“Tilak Varma absolutely stole the show. He showed that he’s made of veins of ice. Outstanding knock. India were in a very precarious situation. Thanks to Haris Rauf, we won the match easily,” Ashwin quipped on his YouTube channel, subtly taking a dig at the Pakistani pacer.
The veteran spinner further elaborated on Varma’s technical prowess, noting his quick adaptability to the pitch conditions. “Tilak Varma soaked the pressure. He played spin really well, executing sweeps and hitting confidently down the ground. He smartly recognized the sticky bounce of the wicket and adjusted his play to hit square off the wicket. People might think it’s easy to hit that shot (a six off Rauf), but falling in line and picking it up is incredibly difficult,” Ashwin explained.
The match also underscored the significant contributions of India’s spin bowlers. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy orchestrated a remarkable comeback, containing Pakistan’s scoring after Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman’s aggressive start. “I would like to give credit to Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. It was a next-level comeback. This is where Pakistan differs from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka handled our spinners beautifully and made astute shot selections. While Pakistan generally has good players of spin in Asia, it’s the pressure of a big match that makes the difference. There are many players in the Indian team who can thrive under such pressure,” Ashwin observed.
Kuldeep Yadav concluded the tournament as the leading wicket-taker, bagging an impressive 17 wickets in seven matches at an average of 9.29.
Ashwin offered deeper insights into Kuldeep Yadav’s effectiveness, attributing it to the unique characteristics of Dubai’s pitches. “The reason Kuldeep Yadav bowled so well was because, for instance, the shot that Sanju got out on – the same shot in an IPL match in Jaipur would have easily been a six over extra cover. However, in Dubai, when you bowl slowly, the ball tends to sit down and become heavy with more bounce, often resulting in a top edge. Take Saim Ayub’s example; he tried to cut it, but it took an edge, and Bumrah caught it at point. Wickets like this would never fall in the IPL. Think carefully; that’s probably the crucial difference,” he elucidated.
This victory was a significant achievement for the Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, demonstrating strong contributions from both the batting and bowling departments throughout their successful campaign.
The tournament highlighted India’s robust depth in both batting and spin bowling, with emerging talents like Tilak Varma stepping up in critical moments and seasoned bowlers such as Kuldeep Yadav consistently delivering top-tier performances.