Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: Indian spin veteran Piyush Chawla said that a lot would be dependent on how the Indian middle order plays spin during the final of Asia Cup 2023 today and added that the team winning the toss can elect to bat first because of how the ball could do some tricks and movement under the lights.
India will take on the final of the Asia Cup against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Sunday.
Talking about India’s last match against the Lankan Lions, in which spinners Dunith Wellalage and Charith Asalanka dominated the Indian line-up, Piyush said on Star Sports, “Virat Kohli always plays the anchor. India could not play 50 overs against Sri Lanka last time. Charitha, a part-time bowler got four wickets and 213 runs were made in that match.
And when you bowled and won by 40 runs, this all tells you the type of pitch it was. It was a type of pitch where it was important to post the amount of runs you could defend.”
“It would be vital how middle-order plays spin in middle overs. Spin is generally introduced in middle overs,” he added.
Talking about the toss, Piyush said, “Whoever wins the toss can bat first since under lights, the ball can do some tricks and have some movement.”
Piyush lauded Sri Lanka for reaching the final.
“The way Sri Lanka played their cricket is commendable, the way they reached finals in the absence of some key players is great. Everyone was expecting India to do great. But Sri Lanka has done really well,” he said.
Piyush said that Sri Lanka would like to use slow wickets in the final to their advantage and India will have to work very hard for their runs.
The spinner said that a win over SL in the Asia Cup final will be a confidence booster for Men in Blue ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup in October at home.
“You would like it (To win the Asia Cup). You would want to win this tournament which involves good teams that have been playing good cricket.
There is a nice team in front of you playing in its home conditions. Beating them to win the final ahead of the WC will give you confidence. The preparation will also be good,” he said.
Piyush said that it was great that India rested key players like Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Mohammed Siraj against Bangladesh.
“A lot of talks are done about momentum. But it was important to test new players and our bench strength. You do not have much game time before the World Cup so to test these new players in that match was a good move,” he said.
On pacer Jasprit Bumrah and spinner Kuldeep Yadav and how they will make things difficult for hosts, Piyush said, “Both are world-class bowlers. Bumrah and Kuldeep, Kuldeep has troubled every batter. It will not be easy for Sri Lanka, they will have to work hard and play good cricket.”
India’s squad for Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar.
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanaka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis (vc), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha, Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan.
