Dubai, Sep 20: India’s cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar praised T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav for the decisions he took during the recently concluded Asia Cup 2025 clash against Oman. Suryakumar led India to their third consecutive win in the tournament as the Men in Blue move to the Super Fours stage unbeaten.

In the team’s third and final group stage game against Oman on Friday, Suryakumar decided not to walk out to bat during India’s innings as they opted to bat first. All other 10 players of the playing XI got game time with the bat as the skipper demoted him to No. 11.

Many experts and pundits criticised the move, but Gavaskar believed it to be a sensible decision. Speaking on Sony Sports Network, the former India captain said:

“If he had batted for even one over, he could have hit a few fours and sixes, and that would have been good for him. But the way he batted against Pakistan, maybe he does not need batting practice. He may have thought that Kuldeep Yadav’s batting could come in handy if India lose quick wickets in one of the matches. Perhaps that’s why he may have sent Kuldeep in to bat.”

Calling the 35-year-old Mumbai batter an ‘innovative thinker,’ Gavaskar added: “He is a very unorthodox thinker. We saw in Sri Lanka that he himself bowled and also gave Rinku Singh the ball. He turned the game, which seemed to have slipped away, on its head and won India the match. He is an innovative thinker. Maybe that’s why he did not bat and sent in Kuldeep and Arshdeep Singh.”

Notably, India defeated Oman by 21 runs to make it three wins in a row.

The group stage of the Asia Cup concluded with the Men in Blue’s match against Oman on Friday, with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan moving to the Super Fours.

Six games will be played in the second stage of the tournament. Every team will play the other three opponents once, and the sides finishing in the top two of the points table will progress to the summit clash.

India will commence their Super Fours campaign with a match against arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday, 21 September, followed by games against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on 24 and 26 September, respectively.

New Delhi, Sep 18: Punjab Kings cricketer Shashank Singh shared what keeps him motivated and energised during tense moments, as well as how he manages disappointing situations. He was last seen on the field during the IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad, where his team finished runners-up as Royal Challengers Bengaluru claimed their first trophy.

Shashank was very vocal about his aspirations and mentioned how his dream to represent India at the biggest stage keeps him motivated to do well. He spoke about his journey and growth over the years, and how his family played a key role in shaping his career as a cricketer.

“While my family has always been supportive, many others have also backed me throughout my career. All my coaches who have taught and trained me so far, as well as my teammates, have also played a part. However, my mum, dad, and sister have been the biggest supporters, and a lot of credit goes to them,” Shashank told IANS in an exclusive interview.

“Looking back on my journey, I started playing for MP, then we moved to Bombay, and later I returned to Chhattisgarh. Eventually, I began gaining recognition in the IPL. It’s been a long journey, and like every other cricketer, I faced many ups and downs. But I believe I have overcome them all, and I am currently in the right zone.

“My dream of representing the Indian national team is something I believe I am very close to achieving. I am working hard because cricket is all about dedication and discipline, and I feel I am on the right path,” he added.

Despite his impressive numbers in domestic cricket, the PBKS batter has not managed to break into the national side. Speaking on what might have went wrong, Shashank stated, “My job is to deliver good performances and assist the team in winning. That has always been my motivation, to lead the team to victory. I cannot concentrate solely on my individual performance and the runs I score in each game, because cricket is a team sport. Ultimately, it matters how many matches I have helped the team win.”

“To be very honest, I don’t know why I’m not a part of the national side yet. I don’t have an answer to that. I think I’m trying to tick all those required boxes at the highest level, at the domestic level, at any level I play cricket, where I learn and improve my game as a player.”

Shashank highlighted the importance of winning trophies in domestic cricket, adding, “If you ask me what’s going wrong or the missing link, I think it might be because my state hasn’t won any championships yet. Players from other states have a championship title to their name, whether it’s the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the Ranji Trophy, or the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy; they win matches. I believe that helps them gain recognition at the highest level.

“My team doesn’t have trophies yet, so there might be a 1% chance that’s the reason. But besides that, I don’t think I lack any attribute needed to represent India at the highest level. I have the qualities that an Indian player must possess, and I hope that dream turns into reality soon.”

Even after impressive performances at the IPL for Punjab Kings over the years, Shashank hasn’t found his name in the Indian squad. When asked if that affects him mentally, he said, “Obviously, I get disappointed. I think about the reasons and details for a few days and then move on. It’s ultimately up to me how I perceive it, and my job is to perform well and help the team win. All you can do is follow the schedule and train properly, hoping to achieve the end goal. I am following the same process instead of banging my head and wondering why things didn’t fall into place. That’s beyond my control.”

When asked how he copes with the pressure and disappointments, the Chattisgarh cricketer added, “It’s essential to stay strong mentally. Firstly, you should be grateful that you’re playing cricket at a high level in a country where the competition is fierce. That’s always a motivating factor. I’m not the first person to be here, nor will I be the last. Many have rightfully had their chance when they deserved it, and many will have in the future. You must always have belief. I’ll never say that I’ve always been talented. I worked hard to get here, and I believe in myself that I can do it. I always think I’m the best when I step onto the ground, and that always motivates me to keep improving every day.

The 33-year-old believes that age doesn’t matter if a cricketer’s statistics show their true ability. He feels that selection depends on a player’s merit, and that age cannot prevent anyone from reaching greatness.

“Sport is one area where there’s no bias or reservation based on caste or age. Selection is solely on merit. If I’m hitting the world’s best bowlers for fours and sixes, running from long on to long off while fielding, being quick between the wickets, and proving to be an asset for the team, then I believe no force can prevent me from playing cricket at the highest level,” he said.

“Age is nothing. People say age is just a number, but for me, it’s irrelevant and doesn’t matter. There are numerous examples of players and athletes continuing to perform beyond a certain age and dominating the sport. If I’m playing fast bowlers who bowl at a pace of 160 and not fearing them and performing well across departments, then I don’t think age will play a role. If you’re putting up stand-out performances and your stats do the talking, then age is literally nothing,” he concluded.

Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj slammed Suryakumar Yadav, BCCI for playing match against Pakistan In Asia Cup 2025. He even challenged them to donate the money earned from the India-Pakistan match to the widows of the martyrs in Pahalgam attack.

Speaking at a press conference, he said, ” Suryakumar Yadav agar tumhari aukat hai, tumhari BCCI ki aukat hai aur tumhari ICC ki aukat hai toh tumhe dusri chunati bhi dete hai. Jitna paisa tumne iss broadcast rights se kamaya hai, advertisers se kamaya hai aur iss pure dhande cricket se kamaya hai dedo uss shahido ki vidhwao ko uss 26 aurto ko. Hum bhi maan jayenge tumne dedicate kiya hai.”

(If you have guts, if your BCCI and ICC have guts, whatever money you earned from broadcasters and advertisers, give it to the widows of the martyrs)

Suryakumar Yadav during the post match interview that his team stands in solidarity with the Pahalgam terror attack victims and dedicatd the win to the Pahalgam victims and armed forces. He said, “Perfect occasion, taking the time out we stand by the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery. Hope they continue to inspire us all, and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to make them smile,” 

There was a lot of chatter surrounding the India-Pakistan match, with social media being flooded with messages to boycott the match. The terror attack in Pahalgam in April saw 26 tourists lose their lives. In May, India retaliated with Operation Sindoor.

A day before the match, India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate also stated that his players are aware of the sentiments of the people back home and know their emotions. The beginning of the contest between India and Pakistan on Sunday saw no handshakes between Suryakumar

India registered a comfortable 7 wicket win over Pakistan on Sunday. However, the Men in Blue have now qualified for super 4 stage after Oman were eliminated by United Arab Emirates. Pakistan needs to beat UAE to have chance to play India once again.