Ravichandran Ashwin came to the defense of Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 final. India will face Pakistan on Sunday, September 28, in Dubai. Suryakumar’s performance in the tournament so far has been below expectations, with the right-hander struggling to score big and facing criticism for a dip in his batting average since taking over the captaincy.
Despite this, Ravichandran Ashwin praised Suryakumar for his fearless and aggressive style of play, noting that he has often batted out of his usual position while maintaining a high-risk, attacking approach.
“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,” he said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’.
In his previous nine T20I innings, Suryakumar Yadav has managed only 87 runs, averaging 12.42 with a strike rate of 112.98. Ashwin suggested that he would prefer the captain to average around 25 while scoring at a strike rate of 170, rather than having a higher average of 40. He also appealed to fans not to put undue pressure on Suryakumar or criticize him.
“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.”
Suryakumar Yadav’s Stats For India In Asia Cup 2025
Suryakumar Yadav’s recent form may be a cause for concern for India ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 final, especially with the T20 World Cup around the corner. In the tournament so far, he has accumulated just 71 runs in five innings, averaging 23.66 with a strike rate of 107.57. His top score came against Pakistan in the group stage, where he remained unbeaten on 47 off 37 balls.
In India’s most recent match against Sri Lanka, the captain managed only 12 runs from 13 deliveries. While he has led the team effectively, his individual performances have struggled to match expectations.
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