Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in support of struggling Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 final between India and Pakistan in Dubai. Suryakumar, who has a career T20I average of nearly 38, has been struggling to score runs of late.
Ashwin believes that Suryakumar’s recent lean patch is a result of his aggressive style of play rather than a lack of form. In the continental tournament in the UAE, Suryakumar has scored just 71 runs in five innings, including an unbeaten 47 against Pakistan in the group stage. He is currently averaging a modest 23.66 and is yet to play a significant innings since taking over the Indian captaincy.
The former all-rounder emphasised that Suryakumar has been adopting a high-risk approach since becoming captain, noting that strike rates are often more important than averages in the T20 format. Ashwin also added that the Indian skipper is following the batting philosophy of Rohit Sharma, who is known for committing fully to an aggressive style at the crease.
“Regarding Suryakumar, people say his average dropped after captaincy. But with that, a new brand of cricket started. I don’t want him to be averaging 40. Always in T20 cricket we sink thinking about this average. Surya as a captain is playing a high-risk game which is extremely amazing. Rohit showed this, putting no price on his wicket, always committing to aggression. Surya’s following this, coming in at different slots, not always at three,” said Ashwin on his YouTube Channel.
“If Surya averages 25 but strikes at 170, I’m much happier with that than him doing 40 at a lower strike rate. Don’t get after him for this, don’t put pressure. T20 cricket needs impact, not average,” he added.
Batting struggles aside, Suryakumar has led Team India to six consecutive victories, guiding them to qualify for the 2025 Asia Cup as the only unbeaten side in the tournament. The Men in Blue will now face arch-rivals Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 28.
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