Former Indian wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik has backed India’s batting experiments in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025. Karthik reckons Suryakumar Yadav’s team won’t be able to do it in the T20 World Cup 2026. 

In the Super Fours clash against Bangladesh at Dubai on Wednesday, Shivam Dube batted at one down, whereas Sanju Samson didn’t even get a chance to bat as he was demoted to number eight.

India posted 168-8 after they were put into bat and eventually registered a 41-run win to confirm their final spot.

Karthik said Dube was given a promotion to take the attack against Bangladesh’s spinner Rishad Hossain. However, the plan backfired as the left-hander was dismissed after scoring only two runs.

Karthik said on Cricbuzz, “Shivam Dube came in when Rishad Hossain was bowling, to take him down. Didn’t happen today. And then they sent Tilak Varma and Axar Patel because Nasum Ahmed had overs left. The fact is that they are making sure that they are matching up to whatever is being given to them. You want to use the flexibility, the experience in these kind of matches. You can’t suddenly do it in the World Cup.”

The former Tamil Nadu stumper said India will continue to juggle with their batting order ahead of the next T20I showpiece.

He said, “Very much so. That’s the advantage of having all-rounders. It’s not called experimentation; I’d use the word flexibility. They want to make sure that at certain points of game, depending on whom they are predicting to bowl, they are bringing a match up with the bat, saying, ‘we have this to counter your plans’.

“I feel it’s a very clever way to go about it. What you need is a group of experienced players, who understand and adapt according to where they are sent,” the 40-year-old added.

India will take on Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Friday.