Murali Kartik, a former spinner for India, emphasised the exceptional depth of Indian cricket by pointing out that a number of gifted players were left off of the 2025 Asia Cup roster. His evaluation followed the Men in Blue’s crushing victory against Pakistan in Sunday, September 14’s Group A match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. With seven wickets taken, Suryakumar Yadav and company managed to chase down a target of 128 runs in 15 overs.
Sai Sudharsan, who won the Orange Cap in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) but was not selected for the Asia Cup team, was noted by Kartik. Kartik also included players like Washington Sundar and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who were unable to establish themselves in the team, in addition to the Gujarat Titans’ opener.
A six by Abhishek Sharma off the opening ball of India’s innings against Pakistan was also acknowledged by the cricketer-turned-commentator. The Punjab batsman made his intentions known right away by hitting Shaheen Shah Afridi for a maximum.
Consider the types of athletes who are being left out. An Orange cap bearer, such as Sai Sudharsan, is unable to make the side. Washington Sundar is unable to attend. Ruturaj Gaikwad is unable to attend. The XI cannot include Arshdeep Singh. “You’re talking about players like these,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.
“The manner in which they performed yesterday. There isn’t even a sighter for Shaheen Shah Afridi’s opening ball, which Abhishek Sharma need. He sprints along the track. You’re referring to that type of talent. When it comes to other sides, we discuss how Hong Kong and Oman, for example, are either a little below average or not up to pace. India appeared to be the best side of the world yesterday. “There was absolutely no comparison,” he continued.
International cricket is easier than the IPL, according to Murali Kartik.
According to Kartik, international teams can still be defeated by IPL clubs that place in the bottom half of the points standings. The former left-arm tweaker claims that international cricket is easier than the lucrative league.
“Just consider how many sides there are; this is not meant to be disparaging to any of them. We discuss international cricket, which implies that they are nations participating, and you simply consider the calibre of all IPL teams 1–10. You consider number one, which wins the championship. Consider any team in tenth position; that is a year that could go badly for any team, but consider the calibre of that squad, which can genuinely defeat the majority of international teams,” Kartik remarked.
“That’s what we’re discussing. The IPL is a difficult job. It is more difficult than international cricket because, occasionally, you get to play against teams who aren’t as good, but they still play international cricket,” he continued.
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