In the match against Oman, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav surprised many by not batting. When asked about his batting order after the match, he joked that he placed himself at number 11 so that everyone would get a chance to bat. Apart from him, every other Indian player batted against Oman, and this became a talking point.
Suryakumar said he’ll try not to wait until number 11 in future games. He noted that during the tournament, India had not batted first at times, and they wanted to understand the team’s depth better. He emphasized that playing time for all is important, especially before entering the Super-4 stage.
He also praised Oman’s performance, saying they showed excellent cricket and that there was a certain grit or “toughness” in their team — something he had expected, especially under their coach, Sulakshan Kulkarni (“Sulu sir”). He found their batting display particularly enjoyable.
After beating Oman by 21 runs in their final group match at the Asia Cup, India remained unbeaten in the group and advanced to the Super-4 stage. Their next match in that stage was against Pakistan on 21 September in Dubai. When asked if his team was ready for that high-pressure match, Suryakumar said they were prepared to take on every team in the Super-4, though he avoided singling out Pakistan by name.