Suryakumar Yadav praised Oman for playing with freedom and not being intimidated by India’s reputation.
India ended their Asia Cup 2025 group stage with a 21-run win over Oman. Facing the T20 World Champions for the first time, Oman fought hard, challenged India in all departments, and impressed despite the defeat.
After the match, Suryakumar won a lot of hearts with his gesture. The Indian captain went to the Oman players with a smile and spent time talking with them. The Oman team gathered around and asked him questions about how to play in different stages of a T20 game. Their captain Jatinder Singh later said it was very special for his team to get tips directly from a World Cup-winning player.
“Our boys had questions on how to play in different phases of the T20 game. It was really nice to have a chat with him,” Jatinder Singh said.
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Suryakumar praised Oman for playing with freedom and not being intimidated by India’s reputation. He was especially impressed by the two half-centurions in the game, Aamir Kaleem and Hammad Mirza, who attacked the Indian bowlers with confidence. Suryakumar said such performances can inspire young cricketers in Oman to believe they can compete at higher levels.
At the post-match presentation, the Indian captain continued his appreciation, describing Oman’s brand of cricket as exciting and refreshing. He also noted the influence of their coach Sulakshan Kulkarni, who he felt had instilled toughness and discipline in the team’s approach.
“Oman played an unbelievable brand of cricket. I knew with their coach, Sulu sir (Sulakshan Kulkarni), there will be khadoosness. It was amazing, really enjoyed watching them bat,” Suryakumar Yadav said.
Suryakumar also shed light on his unusual decision to bat at number 11 in the match. He explained that the move was intentional, as he wanted his teammates to get valuable time at the crease. With qualification already secured, he felt it was important to give others more batting practice. He joked that he would return to his usual role higher up in the order from the next game onwards.
“Definitely I’ll try from next game (joking about batting higher than No.11),” he added.
India will kick off their Super Four campaign on Sunday, September 21, with a clash against Pakistan in Dubai.
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