Asia Cup 2025: Why Did Suryakumar Yadav Stay Off The Crease Against Oman? Fans Left Wondered

Team India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav did not come out to bat despite the fall of eight wickets in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 group stage match against Oman at Sheik Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, September 11. The Oman match is a dead rubber for Team India as the defending champions have already qualified for the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2025.

Opting to bat first, the Men in Blue posted a total of 188/8 in 20 overs, Sanju Samson, promoted to No.3, led the batting with a brilliant knock of 56 off 45 balls, while Abhishek Sharma, who laid the foundation for the defendable total on the board, continued to unleash his firepower at the top as he played an innings of 38 off 15 balls.

Apart from Samson and Abhishek, Axar Patel and Tilak Varma also contributed to India's batting with vital innings of 26 and 29, respectively, while the rest of the lower order managed only a few runs.

Suryakumar did not walk out to bat

As Team India's innings concluded, one of the major talking points was that Suryakumar Yadav chose not to bat despite eight wickets down. In the last two matches against the UAE and Pakistan, India's skipper walked in to bat at no.3 and played a crucial knock against the arch-rivals with an unbeaten captain's knock of 47 off 37 balls to help India chase down the 128-run target in 15.5 overs.

However, Suryakumar Yadav stayed off the crease against Oman throughout India's batting. After the fall of Shubman Gill's wicket, Sanju Samson walked in to bat at No.3, which was India's skipper's batting spot in the last two matches. Thereafter, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav went at the crease, while Suryakumar Yadav remained off the crease.

In the last two matches, Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Tilak Varma got their chances to bat, while other batters did not get a chance to bat, as India's run-chase..

Suryakumar Yadav did not bat tonight, he was slotted at No.11. twitter/rCtxaSU1Ua

- Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 19, 2025

Suryakumar Yadav might have decided to sit out batting against Oman in order to give other players a chance to bat and contribute in the dead-rubber match, but the unusual move by the Indian skipper was quite strange, given that the right-handed batter had recently played crucial innings and is normally expected to anchor the middle order.

Netizens left puzzled by Suryakumar's demotion to No.11

After the fall of every wicket, Suryakumar Yadav was not seen coming out to bat, leaving fans and cricket analysts speculating about the reasoning behind his unusual decision. The 35-year-old, who usually bats at the top order and in the middle, remained off the crease throughout India's innings, prompting widespread discussion on social media.

Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), Indian cricket fans were bewildered by Suryakumar's decision to opt out to bat against Oman, while others believed that it was disrespectful to the Oman team by not taking the opportunity to face the bowlers and contribute to the chase in a completed innings.

Suryakumar Yadav deciding batting order today twitter/tdO2OnVtfO

- Sagar (@sagarcasm) September 19, 2025

Unpopular opinion.. but even after 8 wickets down if Suryakumar Yadav doesn't walk out to bat despite being a captain, then I feel it is kinda disrespectful to the Oman team. Yes you want to test other batters but not even batting at No.10? C'mon. Not cool. #AsiaCup

- Anuj Nitin Prabhu (@APTalksCricket) September 19, 2025

Suryakumar yadav against Oman#indvsoman twitter/CjDjjoer7M

- Raja Babu (@GaurangBhardwa1) September 19, 2025

Abhishek Sharma made sure we don't miss Rohit Sharma Samson made sure we don't miss Virat Kohli Yadav made sure we don't miss MS Dhoni 3 Fandoms are Happy.

- Selfless45 (@SelflessCricket) September 19, 2025

Suryakumar Yadav today#AsiaCup2025 twitter/g3yY2IG1Vs

- Mumbai Indians FC (@MIPaltanFamily) September 19, 2025

Suryakumar Yadav had never batted below No.5 in a T20 before this. He's become the anti-statpadder in this game, has put himself at No.11 - given EVERYONE a chance before him.I understand the logic, but it feels like a travesty even so. #INDvOMAN #AsiaCup2025

- Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) September 19, 2025

Suryakumar Yadav didn't come out to bat. He will directly come to shake hands with Oman players.

- Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) September 19, 2025

Why did Suryakumar Yadav didn't come out to bat tonight? I think it was a move to give other batters a chance but he should have come out to bat ahead of Harshit, Arshdeep and Kuldeep. What are your thoughts? #indvsoman twitter/txviRP3j79

- Madhav Sharma (@HashTagCricket) September 19, 2025

- Scored 47* against Pakistan- Was in good form- Had he come out and scored against Oman haters would have called him a minnow basher- So he decided not to bat today and gave chances to othersMY SELFLESS LEADER SURYAKUMAR YADAV ❤️. twitter/8FtLseGcbb

- (@jod_insane) September 19, 2025

India has lost 8 wicketsStill Suryakumar Yadav is yet to come out to bat#AsiaCup2025 twitter/gyg1WuLZ8R

- (@Shebas_10dulkar) September 19, 2025

Why Suryakumar Yadav & Gautam Gambhir trying to be oversmart? What was the need of sending Harshit Rana ahead of Suryakumar Yadav? What are they trying to achieve with this move?

- Vipul (@Vipul_Espeaks) September 19, 2025

The day Suryakumar decided to play at 11, whole team got dismantled till 8th wicket... That's called Aura, Class and his need in Team.#SuryakumarYadav #AsiaCup2025 #IndvsOmn twitter/gGINHZ4hwl

- Phoenix l SKY (@Phoenix_SKY63) September 19, 2025

Meanwhile, India successfully completed their innings, posting a competitive total of 188/8, with the lower-order batters, especially Tilak Varma and Harshit Rana, stepping up to ensure the team remained in control of the dead-rubber encounter.

Oman, on the other hand, are already out of the Asia Cup 2025 after defeats against the UAE and Pakistan, and will look to end their maiden campaign in the tournament on a good note.

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