Former India player turned commentator Murali Kartik has applauded T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. The tournament will begin on Tuesday, September 9, with the Indian team placed in Group A alongside hosts UAE, Pakistan, and Oman.
Speaking on Cricbuzz on Monday, September 8, Murali Kartik said: “Suryakumar Yadav, he is the X factor along with Jasprit Bumrah. What Jasprit Bumrah is to bowling, he is to batting in T20 for India. And he has been brilliant, and that is one of the reasons why he was the leading batter in T20 internationals. But his own form, and also keeping in mind that the T20 World Cup is going to be back, also again his own alliance with Gautam Gambhir, and all of that will be in scrutiny or under scrutiny in this Asia Cup.”
READ HERE: Shubman Gill Takes Sly Dig At His Critics After India Win At Edgbaston
“Boom boom is back and I think it’s a big big value addition. We all know what a wonder kid he is, what a genius of a bowler he is, and every time he plays in any side he is the bowler to look out for. Think of this, his last T20 game was the World Cup final and since 2023, he has played 35 T20s. His average is 14.29. His comeback means the world to the Indian bowling lineup,” he shared.
However, Murali Kartik also opined on Shubman Gill’s rise to the role of T20I vice-captain, after he was appointed the full-time Test captain as well.
“Gil’s come back into the shortest format. We all know that he has been elevated as the Test captain. We saw how good a series that was for a young captain in England, and he has been elevated as the vice-captain of the T20 side behind Suryakumar Yadav, which means that he’s going to be playing in the XI. We saw how good he was with Gujarat Titans and how good a player he is. So, what sort of value addition is it going to be for Suryakumar Yadav? Again, there is a Test captain, he’s the vice-captain of the T20 side. Is it a help or is it going to be a bit of an encumbrance? We will find out,” he stated.
“But again, he has had an understanding with Gautam Gambhir over the last two or three months. Suryakumar himself has won, so it’s going to be interesting. And not to forget that being an opener in the shortest format, will he open in the side? And also, do India look at him as an all-format captain? I think that is something which we will find out over the course of time. But again, signs are there that they are looking at him like that,” Murali Kartik concluded.
