'So he's available for the bigger match, which is against Sri Lanka.'
Sunil Gavaskar has urged India to think long term in their Asia Cup campaign, saying Jasprit Bumrah should be rested not only for the last group game against Oman but also for the Super 4 opener against Pakistan on September 21.
Gavaskar said the Oman match was a chance to tweak India's line-up and give bench players valuable time in the middle.
'This would give the batters some practice not just for the game against Pakistan, but also for the upcoming Super 4 matches against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It's more about preparing the batters than the bowlers," Gavaskar said.
'I believe Jasprit Bumrah should be rested, perhaps even for the Pakistan game, so he's available for the bigger match, which is against Sri Lanka. That's what India should be looking at,' Gavaskar added.
India have already sealed the top spot in their group after wins over the UAE and Pakistan, making the Oman fixture an ideal opportunity to rotate players.
Bumrah picked just one wicket against the UAE, before taking 2/28 against Pakistan. He is India's fourth-highest T20I wicket-taker with 92 strikes in 72 matches at an average of 17.67 and an economy of 6.29.
Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana are expected to play, with Arshdeep just one wicket away from becoming the eighth Indian to claim 100 T20I scalps. The Oman match will allow India's top and middle order, that has been barely tested so far, to get crucial batting time.
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