“He is the X factor along with Jasprit Bumrah” - Murali Kartik’s massive praise for star batter ahead of 2025 Asia Cup

Former India spinner Murali Kartik has showered high praise on T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. The multi-nation tournament is set to begin on Tuesday, September 9, with the Men in Blue placed in Group A alongside hosts UAE, Pakistan, and Oman.

Speaking on Cricbuzz on Monday, September 8, Murali Kartik hailed Suryakumar as the X-factor for the team, alongside pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. The 48-year-old said:

“Suryakumar Yadav, he is the X factor along with Jasprit Bumrah. What Jasprit Bumrah is to bowling, he is to batting in T20 for India. And he has been brilliant, and that is one of the reasons why he was the leading batter in T20 internationals. But his own form, and also keeping in mind that the T20 World Cup is going to be back, also again his own alliance with Gautam Gambhir, and all of that will be in scrutiny or under scrutiny in this Asia Cup.”

Murali Kartik further emphasized that Bumrah’s return to the shortest format for the first time since the 2024 T20 World Cup has strengthened the Indian unit. He added:

“Boom boom is back and I think it's a big big value addition. We all know what a wonder kid he is, what a genius of a bowler he is, and every time he plays in any side he is the bowler to look out for. Think of this, his last T20 game was the World Cup final and since 2023, he has played 35 T20s. His average is 14.29. His comeback means the world to the Indian bowling lineup.”

Bumrah has represented India in 70 T20Is, picking up 89 wickets.

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“Signs are there that they are looking at him” - Murali Kartik’s huge statement on Shubman Gill

In the same video, Murali Kartik also spoke about Shubman Gill’s rise to the role of T20I vice-captain, following his earlier appointment as the full-time Test captain. The former spinner pointed out that the signs suggest the management is considering him as a potential all-format leader. Murali Kartik said:

“Gil's come back into the shortest format. We all know that he has been elevated as the Test captain. We saw how good a series that was for a young captain in England, and he has been elevated as the vice-captain of the T20 side behind Suryakumar Yadav, which means that he's going to be playing in the XI. We saw how good he was with Gujarat Titans and how good a player he is. So, what sort of value addition is it going to be for Suryakumar Yadav? Again, there is a Test captain, he's the vice-captain of the T20 side. Is it a help or is it going to be a bit of an encumbrance? We will find out.”

“But again, he has had an understanding with Gautam Gambhir over the last two or three months. Suryakumar himself has won, so it's going to be interesting. And not to forget that being an opener in the shortest format, will he open in the side? And also, do India look at him as an all-format captain? I think that is something which we will find out over the course of time. But again, signs are there that they are looking at him like that,” he added.

Gill has represented India in 113 matches across formats, scoring 6,000 runs at an average of 46.15, with 25 fifties and 18 centuries to his name.