India face Oman in Asia Cup 2025 Group A fixture on September 19
Batting practice a priority for India before rematch with Pakistan
Gautam Gambhir may rest key players for Super 4s
Suryakumar Yadav will lead India against an embattled Oman in their final Asia Cup 2025 group league fixture at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Friday, September 19. India, having already secured their spot in the Super 4s, will aim for essential batting practice before their important rematch against Pakistan on Sunday.
The Indian team management will see the upcoming fixture as a perfect opportunity to get some wood on leather after two one-sided, low-scoring chases in their initial two games. The India vs Oman match will be live-streamed on JioHotstar and Star Sports channels from 8:00 PM IST.
India's Batting Focus Contrast Oman's Woes
India will ideally prefer to bat first, aiming to maximise their 20 overs against Oman. This game offers the squad a chance to hit big shots, particularly following two lopsided matches. Abhishek Sharma has already provided two rapid starts for India, and vice-captain Shubman Gill might want more time at the crease.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who performed well against Pakistan, will also hope that Tilak Varma gets an extended batting opportunity.
Middle-order batters such as Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Axar Patel also seek significant time in the middle before the tournament's busy phase starts, which could involve four matches within seven days if India reach the final.
The Indian bowling attack possesses considerable quality. So, if Oman bat first, the match could swiftly finish. Jatinder Singh and his side face a formidable challenge, needing to navigate bowlers like Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy.
Oman's batting has appeared below par in their two Asia Cup games. Their totals of 67 and 130, both while chasing in losing causes, do not paint a positive picture. Their plight is stark: no Oman batter has scored more than 30 runs across these two matches. Hammad Mirza managed 27 against Pakistan, and Aryan Bisht scored a painstaking 24 off 32 balls versus UAE.
India's Squad Selection Vs Oman
India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, may not experiment extensively with the playing XI, though he might consider resting Jasprit Bumrah – if Bumrah chooses to – before the Super 4s. Bumrah has bowled only four overs and appears well-rested after the Pakistan game, so he might not feel a strong need for a break. However, the team will exercise extra cautious care for the jewel in the crown.
This fixture also presents an opportunity to assess Arshdeep Singh, who has missed recent games due to the selectors' obsession with multi-skilled cricketers and batting depth until No. 8.
If Gambhir wants to be slightly more experimental, he could pick Harshit Rana, resting either Varun or Kuldeep. Suryakumar also has an opportunity to rejig his batting order a little in this match.
The Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch remains an unknown factor for the Men in Blue; this will be India's only game at this venue during the tournament. The Indian team will not train in Abu Dhabi, as the location requires a two-hour one-way bus journey.
Since the team usually conducts a mandatory three-hour net session on training days, a four-hour round trip would unduly exhaust the players. Consequently, they adopted an in and out policy: travelling on match day, playing the game, and returning at night. A full Saturday off awaits them before their Pakistan rematch on Sunday.
India Seek To Bury No Handshake Row
The Oman game provides a welcome change from a recent unwanted controversy involving Suryakumar and his team. India's players refused to shake hands with Pakistan players, a gesture of respect for the 26 Indian tourists killed in the Pahalgam terror attack.
The 'no-handshake row' led to Pakistan threatening to pull out of the Asia Cup, demanding for match referee Andy Pycroft to be removed from the tournament. Ultimately, Pycroft apologised to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), leading to the Green Shirts playing against the UAE.
India Vs Oman, Asia Cup 2025 Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Oman: Jatinder Singh (c), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla, Sufyan Yousuf, Ashish Odedera, Aamir Kaleem, Mohammed Nadeem, Sufyan Mehmood, Aryan Bisht, Karan Sonavale, Zikriya Islam, Hassnain Ali Shah, Faisal Shah, Muhammed Imran, Nadeem Khan, Shakeel Ahmad, Samay Shrivastava.
(With PTI Inputs)
