As they finalize their Asia Cup preparations, defending champions India held a full-fledged practice session at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Friday.
On September 10, India will play the host nation, the United Arab Emirates. On September 14, they will play their bitter rivals, Pakistan, and on September 19, Oman. September 20 marks the start of the playoffs.
After the England Test series ended in a 2-2 draw last month, this was the first time the players had trained together. Extended batting sessions were held for captain Suryakumar Yadav, vice-captain Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Abhishek Sharma.
Before the competition, a number of prominent players, including Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav, took a month off. The team management decided to arrive early in Dubai to acclimatise rather than host a preparatory camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
After leading the Test team in England, Gill attracted a lot of attention during training as the players practiced light skills and fitness drills. The return of senior player Jasprit Bumrah to T20Is was also closely watched.
In the 2024 T20 World Cup final in Bridgetown, he made his final appearance in the format, helping India defeat South Africa by seven runs with 2/18 and earning the player-of-the-tournament award with 15 wickets.
Following a 40-day hiatus, Bumrah has returned to the team after facing criticism for missing two Test matches during the demanding series against England earlier this year. Sanju Samson was spotted chatting casually with head coach Gautam Gambhir, while Bumrah was spotted chatting with Abhishek Sharma.
Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was also in the spotlight as he signed autographs and spoke with fans while sporting a stunning new blond hairstyle.
India, who won the Champions Trophy in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year, trained under bowling coach Morne Morkel, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, and head coach Gambhir.
Dream11 is no longer a sponsor, thus the team practiced wearing shirts with no logos. India holds the record of eight Asia Cup victories.
The competition, which is being held at various locations in the United Arab Emirates, is being hosted by India. India, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman make up Group A, while Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka make up Group B.
