Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned India’s team strategy, particularly the role of Shivam Dube, ahead of their Super Four clash in the Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan on Sunday, September 21, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.
Shivam Dube has been included as a batting all-rounder in India’s playing XI, but his performance so far in the tournament has been inconsistent. In India’s group-stage matches, Dube has been shuffled around between bowling and batting roles in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
He impressed with a three-wicket spell against the UAE but didn’t get a chance to bat in Dubai. In the second encounter against Pakistan, Dube batted briefly for 10* but did not bowl.
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Ravichandran Ashwin questions Shivam Dube’s role in India XI at Asia Cup 2025
And then, the seam bowling all-rounder struggled in both departments in the last group match, scoring just five runs off eight balls and conceding 31 runs in three overs against Oman in Abu Dhabi.
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Ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match against India and Pakistan, Ravichandran Ashwin questioned the logic behind Shivam Dube as the extra bowling option ahead of a specialist like Harshit Rana.
He suggested that the Men in Blue could strengthen both batting and bowling by reconsidering Shivam Dube’s role in the playing XI as the Asia Cup 2025 reached the final phase.
India must rethink strategy, says Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “The match would have taught India a great lesson. I am really doubting the impact of having Shivam Dube as the extra bowler. If you definitely need a bowler in that position, you would be better off playing Harshit Rana in the position and making him bat.”
The former Indian off-spinner also praised Oman’s stunning performance against the Indian side, saying the absence of stars like Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy gave the visitors a chance to show their skill on a batting-friendly pitch in Abu Dhabi.
Ashwin noted, “Coming to the match, a champion like Bumrah and a rare mystery spinner like Varun Chakravarthy did not play. So, if you remove these two and the pitch is good to bat on, then Oman showed that they possess some quality. At the same time, there were a few lessons for India as well.”
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Ravichandran Ashwin was amused as Suryakumar Yadav didn’t bat against Oman
Another talking point from the last group match was India captain Suryakumar Yadav’s unusual move of sending himself down the order to No. 11. India lost eight wickets while chasing 188 in 20 overs, and Suryakumar did not even get to bat against Oman.
Ashwin was left amused as the Indian captain left the responsibility of scoring to the rest of the team. He said that the Men in Blue treated the Oman game as match practice, and the associate team can take a lot of confidence out of how they surprised them in the match.
He signed off by saying, “What I liked the most was usually when playing against a good side, a captain looks to do everything from batting, bowling, and fielding, and takes up all the responsibility.”
“Here, Surya did the exact opposite by sending everyone ahead. It was like he told the others that he would only do the coin toss, and it was up to the others to ensure he didn’t bat.”
