India’s next assignment at the Asia Cup comes against Oman in Dubai on Friday, a game that arrives right between two blockbuster encounters with Pakistan. For the Men in Blue, this fixture is unlikely to be more than a light workout, while also giving the team a chance to rotate players and fine-tune combinations.
Balancing Intensity with Rest
With temperatures soaring and humidity testing the limits of endurance, India will want to keep its key players fresh for Sunday’s all-important Super Four clash against Pakistan. That makes Oman, still searching for their first win in the tournament, the perfect opportunity to rest heavyweights like Jasprit Bumrah and give younger faces more responsibility. Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh could both come into contention as bowling options if Bumrah is benched.
Middle-Order Needs Game Time
India’s commanding victories over UAE and Pakistan earlier in the group stage meant the middle-order barely got time in the middle. Players like Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel will be eager to spend some overs at the crease, shake off any rust, and find rhythm ahead of sterner challenges.
Oman as a Dress Rehearsal
Oman’s bowling attack, while not at the same level, carries shades of Pakistan’s strengths. Shah Faisal’s left-arm pace, Aamir Kaleem’s spin, and Samay Shrivastava’s leg breaks could offer Indian batters valuable practice before they face Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, and Abrar Ahmed. For someone like Shubman Gill, who has been working on his technique against left-armers, this match could be ideal preparation.
Key Areas of Focus
Spin has played a decisive role in this Asia Cup, with Pakistan’s slow bowlers often stealing the spotlight. For India, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube, both of whom have looked less convincing against spin lately, will look at this game as an opportunity to work on that weakness.
Familiar Territory
Although this will be the first senior international meeting between India and Oman, the sides are not complete strangers. In the Emerging Teams Asia Cup last year, India ‘A’, led by Tilak Varma, comfortably outclassed a full-strength Oman in Muscat. Friday’s contest could well underline that gap again, though Oman will hope to surprise.