In their final group-stage match of the Asia Cup 2025 in Abu Dhabi, the Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, chose to bat first after winning the toss. This fixture sees India implementing a strategic rotation, resting key player Jasprit Bumrah to provide crucial opportunities for other talents ahead of their anticipated high-stakes encounter with Pakistan.
The most notable change is the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, with Harshit Rana stepping in to bolster the pace attack. He joins Arshdeep Singh, who finally gets a chance to feature in this campaign. The left-arm seamer, currently just one shy of 100 T20I wickets, had been diligently waiting for his opportunity and was seen engaging in early drills.
India’s playing XI further includes Sanju Samson behind the stumps as wicketkeeper. The batting lineup features a blend of promising youngsters like Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Shivam Dube, alongside experienced senior pros such as Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel. Kuldeep Yadav, who has been in exceptional form, earning back-to-back Player of the Match awards, will continue to lead the spin department.
Despite this match carrying a ‘dead-rubber’ tag for India, the team is focused on maintaining their winning momentum and thoroughly testing their bench strength in preparation for tougher challenges awaiting them in the tournament.
For Oman, this match is a landmark event, marking their first-ever international cricket clash against India. Though they are already out of contention for further progression, the opportunity to compete against the reigning world champions is immensely significant. Oman’s bowling unit has demonstrated potential by restricting opponents to competitive totals, but their batting unit has yet to produce a standout performance. A collective effort will be essential against India’s diverse bowling attack to remain competitive.
India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson(w), Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
Oman (Playing XI): Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh(c), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla(w), Shah Faisal, Zikria Islam, Aryan Bisht, Mohammad Nadeem, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava, Jiten Ramanandi