Asia Cup | Time to test the bench: India may rest stars vs Oman, give Arshdeep and Harshit a chance

DUBAI: With their Super 4s berth already secured, India arrive in Abu Dhabi on Friday eager to reset the narrative against a faltering Oman in their final group-stage clash.Choosing to bat first could be the ideal approach for captain Suryakumar Yadav — giving the batsmen a chance to stretch their legs across a full 20 overs before Sunday’s high-stakes showdown with archrivals Pakistan.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India’s middle and lower order have had little opportunity to fire in the low-scoring encounters against UAE and Pakistan. Friday’s fixture, with relatively lower stakes, is a chance to rediscover rhythm and build confidence.Opener Abhishek Sharma has impressed with explosive cameos while Shubman Gill will be keen for a longer stay at the crease to craft a substantial innings after scoring 20 and 10 against UAE and Pakistan.Captain Surya and Tilak Varma have already spent valuable time in the middle, stitching together a crucial 56-run third-wicket stand against Pakistan.Further down the order, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel will all welcome meaningful contributions before the intense Super-4 stage — four matches packed into a week, potentially capped by the final on Sept 28.On the flip side, Oman’s fragile top order may not last long enough to give India much of a workout.

India’s attack, led by the crafty spin troika of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, has already dismantled stronger batting lineups.

Oman’s campaign has been littered with collapses: bowled out for 67 against Pakistan and restricted to 130 by UAE.Coached by former Sri Lankan great Duleep Mendis, Oman earned a place in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean. Under Jatinder Singh’s leadership, they were expected to raise their game—but their cricket appears to have suffered due to the loss of several key players reportedly due to a financial dispute with the cricket board.With just a pool of 30-odd professional players they have been forced to start from scratch. To say that they will find playing a powerhouse like challenging will be an understatement.Coach Gautam Gambhir is unlikely to make wholesale changes. The likeliest tweak is resting Jasprit Bumrah for a couple more days, keeping the spearhead fresh for the Super 4s. That would open the door for left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh, who has been on the bench as India have opted for a deeper batting order.India’s flexible approach gives Surya the license to shuffle the batting line-up and experiment without consequence.Beyond tactics, this fixture also shifts the focus firmly back to cricket after the “handshake gate” controversy with Pakistan.The Sheikh Zayed Stadium surface is uncharted territory for this Indian side. To avoid the gruelling four-hour round trip from Dubai, the team will travel on match day, play under lights, and return the same night—keeping the squad fresh for Sunday’s blockbuster clash against Pakistan.A happy reunion for old Mumbai mates Surya and SulakshanFriday’s clash will also be a reunion between Surya and former Mumbai captain and coach, Sulakshan Kulkarni — now the deputy head coach of Oman.Kulkarni, who coached Mumbai during Surya’s early Ranji Trophy years, shares a long history with the India skipper and credits his trademark confidence to his roots.Kulkarni was introduced to Surya by former Mumbai coach and administrator Vilas Godbole in 2004-5. He says, the moment he saw him, he realised that he was a ‘zara hatke’ player.“Anushakti Nagar in Chembur, where Surya still lives, has produced many Mumbai cricketers. It’s a tough place to live and play, and that’s probably where he gets his confidence and swagger from,” Kulkarni said here on Wednesday.