Abu Dhabi: With the Asia Cup set to begin on Tuesday (September 9), Team India has stepped up its preparations at the ICC Academy Oval, where light-hearted banter and competitive intensity mixed during practice sessions.
A highlight of Friday’s training was the duel between vice-captain Shubman Gill and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. “Stiff legs,” Gill teased, as Bumrah charged around the ground before nipping one past the opener’s bat. The friendly rivalry drew smiles from teammates.
Key takeaways from the nets
- Sanju Samson endured a long, sweat-soaked batting session and later observed Jitesh Sharma, with whom he competes for the sole wicketkeeper slot in the XI.
- Suryakumar Yadav, returning from sports hernia surgery, batted alongside Gill in search of rhythm.
- Abhishek Sharma showcased his versatility by bowling left-arm spin, wrist spin, and a backspinner.
- Bowling coach Morne Morkel monitored Shivam Dube’s run-up closely.
- Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana focused on mobility and fitness drills, while Bumrah and Hardik Pandya led the pace unit.
India’s Asia Cup schedule
- September 10: India vs UAE (Dubai)
- September 14: India vs Pakistan (Dubai)
- September 19: India vs Oman (Abu Dhabi)
India’s squad
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh
Reserves: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal.