"Don’t get after him for this" - Ravichandran Ashwin defends star Indian batter despite his indifferent form ahead of Asia Cup 2025 final

Ravichandran Ashwin spoke in favor of Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 final. The Men in Blue will be up against Pakistan on Sunday, September 28, in Dubai.

Suryakumar Yadav's form has been indifferent in the ongoing tournament. He has not lived up to the expectations and scored big runs. The right-hander has been criticised for a drop in his batting average after having taken up captaincy in the format.

However, Ashwin defended the star Indian batter and lauded him for playing a high-risk game and bringing an aggressive approach. He also highlighted that Suryakumar Yadav has batted out of position.

"Regarding Suryakumar, people say his average dropped after captaincy. But with that, a new brand of cricket started. I don't want him to be averaging 40. Always in T20 cricket we sink thinking about this average. Surya as a captain is playing a high-risk game which is extremely amazing. Rohit showed this, putting no price on his wicket, always committing to aggression. Surya’s following this, coming in at different slots, not always at three," he said on his YouTube channel 'Ash ki Baat'.

In his last nine T20I innings, Suryakumar has scored just 87 runs at an average of 12.42 and a strike-rate of 112.98. Ashwin reckoned that he would be happy with the Indian captain averaging even 25 if he scored a strike-rate of 170 rather than maintaining an average of 40. He urged fans not to pressure Suryakumar Yadav or go after him.

"If Surya averages 25 but strikes at 170, I’m much happier with that than him doing 40 at a lower strike rate. Don’t get after him for this, don't put pressure. T20 cricket needs impact, not average."

The 35-year-old will be eager to deliver a match-winning performance with the bat in the final against Pakistan.

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Suryakumar Yadav's numbers for India in Asia Cup 2025

Suryakumar Yadav's form could be concerning for India ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 final. Moreover, it could be a matter of worry given that the T20 World Cup is soon approaching.

In the ongoing tournament, he has scored just 71 runs from five innings at an average of 23.66 and a strike-rate of 107.57. His best score of an unbeaten 47 from 37 balls came against Pakistan in the group stage.

In the last match against Sri Lanka, the Indian skipper made 12 runs off 13 balls. He has led the side well but has struggled to perform on an individual note.