India’s impressive performance in the Asia Cup 2025 has been somewhat marred by the inconsistent batting form of captain Suryakumar Yadav. While the team has secured five wins, Yadav’s performance has been below par, scoring just 71 runs in five innings. This has led to a debate about whether to promote Tilak Varma in the batting order to counter the perceived weakness of Yadav against spin. Examining the statistics, Yadav’s dismissals are more frequent against pace bowlers than spin. Tilak Varma’s recent form, including a notable 49-run innings against Sri Lanka, supports the argument for his promotion. However, Tilak’s record against seamers is surprisingly stronger than his performance against spin. Despite Yadav’s current struggles, he has a proven track record of excelling against spin. The team management must carefully consider the optimal batting strategy for the final, balancing the need for experienced players like Yadav with the promising form of Varma. A flexible approach, based on the bowling attack, may be the best solution for India.
