In the semi-final of the Asia Cup (Rising Stars) 2025, the India A matched the Bangladesh A total of 194 in their allotted 20 overs, forcing a Super Over. In a surprising move, India A opted to send out their captain Jitesh Sharma along with Ramandeep Singh, rather than their hot-hand batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
The decision back-fired: Jitesh was dismissed off the first ball, Ramandeep didn’t survive long, and India managed zero runs in the Super Over. Bangladesh A then sealed the victory when their required single came via a wide in the chase.
The selection rationale
After the match, Jitesh Sharma addressed the reasoning behind the exclusion of Suryavanshi. He explained that in their team structure, Suryavanshi (and Priyansh Arya) were considered specialists for the opening and power-play phase, while for the death-overs scenario he trusted others. “In the team, Vaibhav and Priyansh are masters of the powerplay, while in the death overs Ashu and Raman can hit at will.
So the Super Over lineup was a team decision, and I made the final call,” Jitesh said. He also took responsibility for the outcome: “I will take all responsibility, as a senior I should finish the game. It’s about the learning, not the losing… My wicket was the turning point.”
After-effects and wider reaction
The decision not to include Suryavanshi stirred immediate reaction among fans and pundits, many of whom questioned the logic of keeping the tournament’s top hitter out of such a crucial moment. One post read:
“Maybe he thought that he would score 6 ball 30 Runs”
Meanwhile, reports described India A’s Super Over performance as “a mockery of match awareness”, pointing out the implosion unfolded in the first two balls.
While the tactical decision remains defended by the captain as one of roles and phases, the lack of runs and the nature of the collapse mean it will be dissected further. The exclusion of Suryavanshi — despite his excellent form — stands out as the most scrutinised call from that semi-final.
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