UAE head coach Lalchand Rajput had high praise for India’s bowling attack after his team suffered a heavy nine-wicket loss in the Asia Cup on Wednesday. India bowled UAE out for just 57 runs in 13.1 overs, then chased down the target with ease in only 4.3 overs.

Rajput, a former India player and coach, admitted his batters were overwhelmed by the quality of the Indian bowlers and struggled to handle the pressure of facing such elite talent.

“They’ve never faced bowlers of this caliber before. The big names got to them—they were clearly overawed,” Rajput said after the match. “There’s a huge gap in experience, and it showed.”

India’s decision to go spin-heavy paid off brilliantly. Kuldeep Yadav, playing his first match since the Champions Trophy, ripped through the UAE batting order with a stunning four-wicket haul. Shivam Dube chipped in with 3 for 4, while Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah took one wicket each.

Rajput pointed out that things started falling apart for UAE after a decent powerplay. “It was fine until the powerplay. But once the spinners came on, the game changed completely. Even though the pitch wasn’t offering much turn, when you’re up against bowlers like Kuldeep and Varun, it’s difficult—even top batters struggle against them,” he said.

Kuldeep was particularly lethal, grabbing three wickets in his second over to demolish the UAE middle order.

Rajput was also struck by the sheer depth of India’s bowling resources. He noted that Arshdeep Singh, India’s top T20I wicket-taker, didn’t even make the playing XI.

“If someone like Arshdeep can’t get into the side, that just shows you how strong this Indian team is,” Rajput added.

Despite the tough loss, Rajput acknowledged the gulf in class and said facing a world-class team like India is a learning opportunity for his players.