Asia Cup | ‘Don't see any motive behind chopping and changing’, Varun Aaron on India’s tactics

‌With openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill giving India an electric start in the Asia Cup T20 2025 Super Four game against Bangladesh, the Men in Blue were expected to post a 200-plus target comfortably. The openers powered India to 72/0 in the first six overs, their best powerplay score in this tournament, only to see a shuffled-up batting order cease to take advantage to finish at 168/6 in 20 overs.

When Gill was dismissed in the seventh over, Shivam Dube came in at three, ahead of Suryakumar Yadav, but the move failed as the southpaw left for a three-ball two. The captain walked in at four with Pandya following him at five, and their Mumbai Indians teammate coming next.

Sanju Samson, who was expected to bat at five ahead of the match, was padded up but never made an entry as Axar Patel walked ahead of him at seven. A chopped and changed batting order, along with a sloppy batting display, meant India made just 72 runs in the last 10 overs for the loss of four wickets.

“The batting order was inexplicable," Aakash Chopra said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out. "What India were trying to do with the batting order is baffling to say the least. bowled alright, but we just compounded our problems with a very weird batting line-up. I cannot wrap my head around it."

"They thought they could get Dube on to take down the spinners. But Sanju Samson is another option; he could have been slotted in early today. We know how he enjoys slightly up top."

"Axar ahead of Samson? I do not understand it," Varun Aaron said. "The man got three T20I centuries last year, you've got to cut him some slack.

"There's not much difference in the strike rates of the Indian batters. It is not like we have four batters who strike above 150 and have a couple who can only play run a ball. Every batter in that top eight can bat at a very high strike rate. I don't see any motive behind so much chopping and changing in the batting line-up."

But the Indian skipper stood by his decision to promote Dube despite the move not working out in India’s favour. He also added that the team management would change the batting order, if required, in the upcoming games, and all players should be ready to bat at all positions.

"Looking at their bowling line-up - they had a left-arm spinner [Nasum Ahmed], they had a legspinner - Dube was a perfect match-up at that moment. And his entry point was perfect - seven to 15 overs. So we took that chance. It did not go well, but in the games ahead, we might try doing that ."