**Did India Take Oman a Little Too Lightly?**
With their Super Four spot already secured, Suryakumar Yadav’s men used their final Group A clash of the Asia Cup 2025 in Abu Dhabi to give untested batters time in the middle and allow part-time bowlers a chance to roll their arms over.
On paper, the strategy made perfect sense. In practice, it nearly backfired.
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**IND vs OMA: Match Overview**
India posted 188 runs in their 20 overs on a tricky pitch in Abu Dhabi, but Oman rose to the occasion with a spirited display. Veteran Aamir Kaleem and youngster Hammad Mirza struck fighting half-centuries, keeping their side in the contest until as late as the 18th over.
For a brief spell, there were more than a few anxious faces in the Indian dressing room as the partnership flourished. Relief only came when Hardik Pandya pulled off one of the catches of the tournament, breaking the stand and effectively shutting the door on Oman’s hopes.
Oman finished with 167 for 4 in their 20 overs, falling short despite having six wickets in hand.
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**Key Moments and Performances**
Captain Jatinder Singh and opener Aamir Kaleem added 56 runs in 8.3 overs as India went wicketless through the powerplay. Akashdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, brought in for Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy, failed to make early inroads.
The real momentum came when Aamir and Hammad Mirza switched gears after the 15th over, but with too much left to do at the death, Oman was unable to find the final push. India eventually closed out the game by 21 runs.
In the end, both sides could take plenty of positives. India met their objective of shaking off any rust within the squad, while Oman gained valuable confidence from a spirited all-round performance.
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**Forgetful Like Rohit, Selfless Like Rohit**
After his light-hearted slip at the toss—where he forgot the team changes and compared himself to Rohit Sharma—Suryakumar went on to mirror the former captain in another way by stepping back and letting his teammates take the stage when it mattered.
Against Oman, he made a calculated and selfless call, choosing not to bat so that his teammates could gain valuable time in the middle.
Having himself spent meaningful time at the crease during a match-winning knock against Pakistan, Suryakumar decided to demote himself to number 11 and allow the rest of the batting unit to adapt to the conditions ahead of the business end of the tournament.
India eventually posted 188 for 8 from their 20 overs.
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**A Record-Setting Decision**
Notably, no Indian full-time captain had previously been listed below number seven in a T20 international. Suryakumar would have set a record had he walked out at number 11.
India batted first for the first time in this tournament and made sweeping changes to their batting order while retaining the opening partnership of Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma.
Gill fell early, but Abhishek ensured India stayed on the front foot with an explosive 15-ball 38, peppered with five fours and two sixes. His aggression offset the early setback and set the platform for Sanju Samson, promoted to number three, to take charge.
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**Samson Spends Time Without Fluency**
Samson, who has had to give up his opening role for Gill, struggled for fluency on the two-paced Abu Dhabi track. Yet, he held the innings together with a determined 56 from 45 balls, ensuring India kept the scoreboard ticking despite finding boundaries hard to come by.
Hardik Pandya’s stay was short-lived, as he was run out at the non-striker’s end for 2, but Axar Patel made the most of his chance at number five. The all-rounder struck a brisk 26 off 13 deliveries, including three boundaries and a six, to inject momentum into the middle overs.
Shivam Dube, batting at number six, failed to make an impression, scratching his way to 5 off 8 before falling. Tilak Varma then contributed a handy 29 off 18 at number seven, offering firepower in the latter stages.
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The experimental batting order extended deep, with Harshit Rana (number eight), Arshdeep Singh (nine), and Kuldeep Yadav (ten) all spending short but useful spells at the crease.
Suryakumar, though listed to come in at number 11, was padded up but didn’t walk out to bat.
India’s eventual total of 188 for 8 was competitive, though not flawless. Only Abhishek, Axar, and Tilak managed to score at a healthy clip, while Samson’s innings, though valuable, underlined the need for greater fluency in challenging conditions.
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**Purpose of the Experiment**
The experiment, however, served its purpose.
In their earlier group matches, India’s top order had finished most of the job — losing just one wicket in their 58-run chase against the UAE and only three while overhauling Pakistan’s 128. The lack of opportunities for the middle and lower order was a concern the team management addressed against Oman.
By stepping aside, Suryakumar ensured his teammates were tested in a match situation rather than walking into the Super Four stage underprepared.
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**Looking Ahead**
India will hope the experience gained proves crucial when they face sterner opposition, starting with Pakistan again on Sunday in Dubai.
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*Tune in for more updates and exciting cricket action from the Asia Cup 2025.*
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