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25 years ago, the match against Sri Lanka at the Asia Cup proved to be a seminal moment in Indian cricket. Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya’s blistering 105 off 116 balls helped the defending champions post an imposing 276 for eight. Sachin Tendulkar ploughed a lonely furrow with a 95-ball 93 before India fell short by 71 runs.
Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Russell Arnold, who played in that game, forms a reminiscent smile during an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.
India suffered a 44-run loss at the hands of Pakistan too, thus marking a tepid start to Sourav Ganguly’s reign as Indian captain. However, six players who took the field on June 1, 2000, were phased out over the next year.
Both India and Sri Lanka find themselves in a similar transitional pickle during Asia Cup 2025. While the Men in Blue are still waking up to life without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the Islanders have struggled to forge consistency in every sense.
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“I think they are doing it well at the moment, especially India. They are able to mix and match and still not compromise their results. If you look at how India are performing across formats, maybe we are so used to certain names really dominate the world on and off the field, it’s hard to look beyond. But the bottom line is, the results are there,” Russell Arnold, who is a commentator for Asia Cup 2025, told Sportskeeda.
India’s fairytale win in the 2024 T20 World Cup final coincided with the T20I retirements of Kohli, Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja, along with the departure of coach Rahul Dravid. Yet, the new-look side has come into Asia Cup 2025 winning 16 out of 20 matches. Sri Lanka, who saw Chris Silverwood resign, won just seven out of 17 games.
Since stunning India on their way to winning the previous T20 edition of the Asia Cup in 2022, Sri Lanka’s stocks have dropped in the shortest format. In the three-year period, they have lost (19) more games than won (23) to log a poor win percentage of 43.18. To put it into perspective, that’s lower than that of Bangladesh and Afghanistan. On the other hand, India’s 73.52 is the highest among full-member nations.
“From Sri Lanka’s point of view, there have been quite a few changes happening. And they’ve actually struggled to get the right balance in place and also evolve with how the game has changed. You now see bigger scores coming into play, the pitches being flatter. And Sri Lanka’s players have not exactly gone toe-to-toe with that. If I put it in another way: if it’s a 160-170 game, the Sri Lankan batters are always in it.
"But now, since teams are reaching 220-230 more consistently, you need a bit more oomph, which the lower-middle order, especially, is unable to provide Sri Lanka with. So that’s an area Sri Lanka need to develop and which they are working on and, hopefully, they would get it right. They are getting a few players, with the emergence of Kamindu Mendis of late, Dasun Shanka slotting in there. They’ll also need Hasaranga with the bat to give them that little oomph, which will make the difference,” Russell Arnold said.
Asia Cup 2025 teams in T20Is since the 2022 edition:
A lot has also gone right for Sri Lanka in the past year. While the legendary Sanath Jayasuriya took over as head coach, 27-year-old Charith Asalanka replaced both Wanindu Hasaranga and Kusal Mendis as T20I and ODI captains, respectively.
The duo has delivered promising results. Sri Lanka won a bilateral ODI series against India for the first time in 27 years, followed by a Test match win in England after 10 years, and a 2-0 whitewash of inaugural WTC champions New Zealand at home. The fact that Jayasuriya swiftly graduated into a full-time role was a testament.
“I am a fan of a local coach. Because he understands the type of cricket we tend to play, he understands the players and the culture. And that way, you are able to handle those players better. Because there is a difference between our lifestyle – ours meaning the subcontinent – and that of the western world. So if you have a person who can understand that, you make those players more comfortable and the atmosphere will be lot better.
"I think Jayasuriya is a real competitor. He does everything with passion, he’s very emotional as well. And that’s the type of leader Sri Lanka did need at this stage. Rather than the western approach of leaving things to players, our players like to be told stuff like, ‘Get on with that. Let’s do this, let’s do that.’ And that’s when they start moving around and doing a little bit better. So Jayasuriya brings a lot of that aggression and discipline into the team,” Russell Arnold elaborated.
Asalanka already has the highest ODI win percentage among Sri Lankans to have led in at least two games. Under him, they have lost only four out of 19 times. He is, however, yet to crack the code in T20Is with 10 losses from 19 matches.
“I think he should come into the red-ball team as well. He’s such a quality player. He captained the Under-19 team in 2016. I remember he played with the likes of Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan. So from Sri Lanka’s point of view, he’s been very slow in developing. Even at that stage, the way he did things, he was looked at as Sri Lanka’s next captain. And he’s a solid player, he’s got a great attitude, he reads the game well, I like the way he leads the team.
"And most importantly, the guys like him, they like his approach and respect him. So that will go a long way in taking this team forward. When you are involved and when you are confident, you tend to do more things. And that’s why you see him bowling a lot more, and bowling well, which is adding to Sri Lanka’s balance and giving them another option here and there. I would like to see him even in the red-ball team, taking Sri Lanka forward with his confidence and the tactical knowledge he possesses,” the 51-year-old opined.
Asalanka’s batting has mirrored his captaincy, returning contrasting numbers in the two formats. A T20I average and strike rate of 23.30 and 126.55, respectively, don’t warrant a place in the modern game. In the 50-over format, he has been the second-highest run-getter since the start of 2024, holding many an innings on his own.
At the top of that pile, is Kusal Mendis. The 30-year-old has been enjoying a second wind over the past three years. The move to slip into the lower-middle order in Test cricket has been as bewildering as it has been fruitful.
“Clearing your mind is the main thing. Kusal Mendis is very instinctive – he’s a ‘see the ball, hit the ball’ type of player. And there’s a lot of flair about him. And he could be one who takes a little bit more risk than, say, a Pathum Nissanka. And what I’ve been impressed by is that he’s been working on more shots. And I think it’s maturity that is helping Kusal Mendis be consistent right now,” Russell Arnold stated.
What about Pathum Nissanka, though? Having debuted as recently as 2021, the 27-year-old opener has grown into a pillar of Sri Lanka’s batting across formats. Notably, he was Player of the Match at The Oval for blazing 64 off 51 balls in the first innings and following it up with an unbeaten 124-ball 127 in the run-chase. His strokeplay, marked with power, precision, and placement, almost reminds one of Virender Sehwag.
“He’s a little different. He’s totally focused on his cricket and he knows his batting. He’s small in stature and yet very good off the short ball on either side of the pitch. He picks up length well, and that allows him to dominate bowlers. And he’s able to do it across formats because he’s totally focused on his batting. You don’t know if he’s in the room or not, you don’t hear him, he doesn’t say much, but all he does is lets his bat talk. So that’s probably working in his favour.
"I also think he scores runs because he has a risk-free game. He’s got good cricketing shots. Players in Sri Lanka right now, when they are looking to score quicker or searching for the boundary, they somewhat slog. But this guy has good shots to find those boundaries. That’s why there’s less risk and that’s why he’s able to bat without getting himself out. I’ve also got to admit that whatever mistakes were there in Pathum Nissanka’s game, are not there anymore. So they are all looking to get better,” Russell Arnold explained.
Top 5 ODI run-getters among full-member nations since the start of 2024:
Top 5 T20I run-getters among full-member nations till the start of Asia Cup 2025:
In the opposite direction, one batter who flattered to deceive was Bhanuka Rajapaksa. The Player of the Match in the Asia Cup 2022 final, the burly southpaw ran out of steam too soon. He briefly made a comeback towards the end of last year but came a cropper.
“He was much like Charith Asalanka. Since the age of 19, everyone was looking forward to the next Arjuna Ranatunga. But he never panned out that way. I do understand and agree that, when you watch him play, he looks like he’s got time and power. But I think he has let himself down in terms of not being the fittest he can be. Because the game has now evolved and you can’t score 20-30 runs and hang around.
"He also probably needed to work on his fielding to add value to the team. Those are the type of players you want. And in T20Is, you need consistency to seal your place in the team. So one inning here and there, and somewhat being a liability, does not help your cause. He’s been around for a long time, but we haven’t seen that change in Bhanuka Rajapaksa,” Russell Arnold said.
Sri Lanka have recalled batters Kamil Mishara and Nuwanidu Fernando after a couple of years. While Mishara blasted an unbeaten 73 off 43 balls in the final game against Zimbabwe recently, Fernando had a forgettable tour with a combined 22 runs from an ODI and two T20Is.
"India are able to manage Jasprit Bumrah's workload because of their depth" - Russell Arnold
Along with the much-debated exclusion of Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah’s workload was a big talking point coming into Asia Cup 2025. India’s ace pacer copped a lot of criticism from fans and pundits alike for playing three out of five Tests on the recent England tour.
Someone of similar ilk, who inspired Bumrah at the Mumbai Indians, was Lasith Malinga. The legendary Sri Lankan quit Test cricket in 2010, a decade before hanging up his international boots.
“With Lasith Malinga, there were lots of injuries initially that he needed to manage. His body had to rotate in very different ways. And bowling so many overs in a Test match just didn’t allow him to continue – his knees would get locked, and he would need to give his knees and body rest after bowling a few overs. It did work in the shorter formats, but a decision was made for the longer format rather than him dropping down for good,” Russell Arnold continued in his candid chat with Sportskeeda.
Similarly, Bumrah’s quirky action puts a lot more toll on his body than that of his peers. Malinga, who won the Purple Cap in IPL 2011, played only 30 Tests over six years. Should the current MI spearhead go down a similar path?
“Bumrah is also a tremendous player. Workload management is a good thing, but the positive for India is that they’ve got depth. They have a lot more to offer than what Sri Lanka had in that period. Lasith Malinga started with Vaas, Dilhara Fernando. But Sri Lanka did not have that quality with which they could have mixed and matched and rested Malinga for longer. Which is why, towards the end of his career, Malinga wasn’t fit. If you notice his last few years, even in the IPL, he was not at his best because of his physical status. He struggled, but he was still better than the rest. That’s the type of players these bowlers are.
“So for you to use Bumrah, when you want him for the most important games and tournaments, then you do have to look after him and keep the energy going. Because you want him to be sharp. Even on the mental side of things, you get tired and jaded and you end up going through the motions. You want to be fresh, where you make good decisions and are able to jump on moments to win your team a game. So that’s what India are able to do with Bumrah because of the depth they have. And they should use that and prolong and get the maximum of Bumrah and the other players to win matches,” Arnold explained.
Since Lasith Malinga’s retirement, Sri Lanka haven’t found a flag bearer of the pace attack. Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara are largely restricted to T20s. Dilshan Madushanka, who famously castled Virat Kohli for a duck in Asia Cup 2022, has since played only 11 T20Is. Pramod Madushan, who also debuted in that tournament, has eight T20Is and nine ODIs to his name.
“The key is to also stay fit. A lot of these bowlers are in and out because of injuries. So if you can keep them fresh and are able to use them without compromising your results, that’s when you are in a good position. That’s where India find themselves in. Whereas, the problem for Sri Lanka with their quick bowlers – Hasaranga also gets injured quite frequently now – it does not allow you to continue the way you want. So they do need to build on depth and make sure these players stay fit and not bowl down to the ground,” Russell Arnold opined.
Two fast bowlers – Dushmantha Chameera and Binura Fernando – in their Asia Cup 2025 squad made their T20I debut in 2015. But Sri Lanka also have a slew of all-rounders, along with two world-class spinners in Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana.
“And players will get better and settle in. If you bring in new players, sometimes we make the mistake of looking for results or comparing them to the greats when the greats were great. But the greats, when they were starting, were probably in a similar position. It was probably covered by the senior players who were performing. In a transitional period, you need your seniors to really keep firing, so that the younger ones settle in. And the main thing is, if you are getting the results, there’s no panic, and you like what you see, you are able to stay patient even if that younger player is taking time to settle in,” he added.
One of the best things Gautam Gambhir and his coaching staff have done is identify players and back them to the hilt. While they protect Harshit Rana from the noise, they also prove detractors wrong by picking Jasprit Bumrah for a T20 Asia Cup and also playing him against the UAE. While they merit Shubman Gill’s rich vein of form, they also don’t discount Sanju Samson’s hard-earned berth.
Suryakumar Yadav’s boys started Asia Cup 2025 on a blazing note, pummeling hosts UAE with nine wickets and 93 balls remaining.
"India definitely look the favourites because there are some strong players – maybe new names, but some tremendous players. And everywhere you look, there are match-winners. So they are the team to beat for sure. But I am hoping for Sri Lanka to do another one of those acts they did in the last T20 Asia Cup and get ahead,” Russell Arnold concluded.
Sri Lanka take on Bangladesh in their opening Group B clash on Saturday, September 13. Good news is, they are back in the Emirates, where the pitches will play to their strengths. Don’t be surprised if they serve up a strong rendition of the 2022 edition.
(Watch Asia Cup 2025 on the Sony Sports Network and the SonyLIV app.)
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