India have already qualified for the Final on September 28.
Talismanic pacer Jasprit Bumrah is a notable omission from the India Playing XI for their final Super Four match against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2025 today. Instead, left-arm fast bowler, Arshdeep Singh, is added to the mix.
Charith Asalanka won the toss and has elected Sri Lanka to field first in Dubai. They have made one change from their previous fixture as Janith Liyange comes in for Chamika Karunaratne. Notably, another right-arm pacer, Harshit Rana, is also included in place of Shivam Dube.
India vs Sri Lanka Playing XIs
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakaravarthy.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (w), Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (c), Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, and Nuwan Thushara.
The reason behind the decision to drop Bumrah is to give him rest and manage his workload before the summit clash. He picked up five wickets in the four games so far at his usual controlled economy of 7.33.
Arshdeep Singh, on the other hand, will be playing his second match in this tournament. He took one wicket in the last game against Oman. In the process, he completed 100 T20I wickets in just 64 matches.
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Furthermore, India have already qualified for the final on September 28 after remaining unbeaten in the tournament. It is thus a sensible move to have the 31-year-old fully charged for the final of the tournament rather than risking him in a match of little consequence.
India also already had a cramped schedule lined up. They are playing four matches, including the final, in a span of seven days. On October 2, India will play the first of a two-match Test series against the West Indies in Ahmedabad.
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