Why did Aakash Chopra criticize Gautam Gambhir's strategy?

Chopra criticized the strategy of playing the Asia Cup final with only one specialist pacer, calling it 'radical'.

Who was left out of the Asia Cup final for batting depth?

Arshdeep Singh was left out in favor of Harshit Rana, who offers batting ability down the order.

What is the debate around Shreyas Iyer's T20I exclusion?

Shreyas Iyer's exclusion is debated despite his IPL form due to a lack of clear batting position in the current T20I setup.

Home / Sports / Chopra Slams Gambhir's 'Radical' Asia Cup Bowling Strategy

Chopra Slams Gambhir's 'Radical' Asia Cup Bowling Strategy

20 Nov

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Summary

Aakash Chopra criticized playing Asia Cup final with only one pacer.
Shivam Dube bowled three overs despite not being a primary bowler.
Arshdeep Singh was excluded for Harshit Rana's batting ability.

Chopra Slams Gambhir's 'Radical' Asia Cup Bowling Strategy

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has voiced strong disapproval of the Indian team's bowling strategy employed in the Asia Cup 2025 final, a match they won against Pakistan. Chopra specifically criticized head coach Gautam Gambhir's decision to rely on a single specialist pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, and utilize Shivam Dube for three overs. Chopra described this approach as "radical" and questioned the wisdom of Dube bowling in a crucial final, even though Dube's spell was economical.

The controversial selection also saw Arshdeep Singh, a prominent white-ball pacer, being left out. The preference for Harshit Rana was attributed to his batting capabilities down the order, highlighting a trend of selecting players for their all-round skills rather than purely their primary roles. Chopra suggested that Arshdeep should focus on domestic cricket to become 'undroppable'. He also defended Rana against fan criticism, emphasizing that selections are not the player's prerogative.