Following India’s qualification for the Asia Cup 2025 title match, prominent cricket analyst Sunil Gavaskar has shared an important recommendation concerning the team’s approaching Super 4 contest versus Sri Lanka.
Sunil Gavaskar suggest a key change for India for the Asia Cup 2025 game against Sri Lanka
During a broadcast on a sports channel, Gavaskar posited that India should provide rest to their primary fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, asserting that the fixture has become a ‘formality’ and that relaxation would be advantageous for the key bowler before the competition’s final showdown. Gavaskar’s suggestion follows Bumrah’s notable showing in India’s recent 41-run triumph over Bangladesh, a victory that guaranteed their spot in the championship game. Bumrah, who experienced a less effective performance against Pakistan, rebounded strongly to record an impressive spell of 2/18 across his four overs when facing Bangladesh.
“My suggestion is to solely rest Jasprit Bumrah. That seems reasonable. His rhythm appeared excellent today. He might have seemed slightly off his best against Pakistan, but he bowled exceptionally well today. It’s true, he conceded a six, but generally, his bowling was very effective.” Gavaskar remarked. He views this as an excellent chance to allow Bumrah some valuable downtime. “Therefore, he’s the sole player I’d consider resting. That would give him Thursday, Friday, Saturday – a three-day break – prior to his participation in the final on Sunday.”
No cause for concern over the superstar’s Asia Cup 2025 form
The respected cricket expert also downplayed any anxieties surrounding Bumrah’s previous showing against Pakistan, during which the fast bowler concluded without taking a wicket, while conceding 45 runs. Gavaskar underscored that even the most accomplished athletes are susceptible to the occasional under-par performance.
“Everyone is entitled to an off day. We all acknowledge that Bumrah is a premier bowler across all three game formats. His rhythm looked really good. Sometimes, you encounter one of those days. Today, he performed excellently,” Gavaskar stated. Bumrah’s return to strong form against Bangladesh was a prominent feature of India’s bowling performance, which also showcased impressive displays from Varun Chakaravarthy (2/27) and the tournament’s leading bowler, Kuldeep Yadav (3/18). Bumrah also stands on the verge of achieving a personal milestone, requiring just six additional wickets to become only the second Indian bowler to secure 100 T20I wickets, an achievement recently attained by Arshdeep Singh.
