ircrehab.com – News Features & Broad Perspectives

Team India has commenced preparations for their Asia Cup 2025 title defense with a rigorous practice session in Dubai, fueled by coach Gautam Gambhir's call to seize every opportunity. Key players like Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill participated in extensive drills, emphasising the team's focus on acclimatisation and skill enhancement.

India's cricket team concluded their Dubai practice, gearing up to defend their Asia Cup title. Key players like Gill and Yadav participated in batting sessions, while Bumrah rejoined after a break. The team, under coach Gambhir, is set to face UAE, Pakistan, and Oman in Group A, aiming to continue their Asia Cup dominance.

Jitesh Sharma scored only 261 runs in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) title-winning season, but it was not the runs that caught the selectors’ eyes, it was his 176.35 strike rate while batting at 6 and 7. Jitesh, who never had a coach, learnt cricket by watching YouTube videos of his childhood heroes Adam Gilchrist and Sourav Ganguly. Making a comeback into the Indian team at the age of 31 is as breathtaking as his cricketing sojourn.

Rinku Singh, known for his T20 heroics, asserts his capabilities extend to red-ball cricket, aiming to represent India in Tests. Preparing for the Asia Cup 2025, he emphasizes evolving his technique with guidance from Abhishek Nair and Gautam Gambhir. Singh aspires to contribute across all formats, driven by self-belief and a desire to win the T20 World Cup.

Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf has stirred the pot ahead of the Asia Cup clash with India, confidently proclaiming victory in both anticipated matches. While Pakistan gears up for the tournament and a preceding tri-series, a surprising squad selection sees Salman Agha appointed captain, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan notably absent.

Bazid Khan analyzed India's Asia Cup squad, noting the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will impact the team's intensity. He highlighted Suryakumar Yadav's struggles against Pakistan and emphasized Ravindra Jadeja's all-round contribution and fielding prowess will be missed. India faces the challenge of finding the right combination to compensate for these key players.

Wicket-keeper batter Jitesh Sharma, after a period of self-reflection following his initial T20I appearances, has made a remarkable comeback to the Indian team. His resurgence was fueled by a strong IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he showcased his finishing abilities and even captained the team in Rajat Patidar's absence.

Once considered Rohit Sharma's successor, Hardik Pandya's captaincy aspirations have faded due to injuries and fitness concerns, leading to Suryakumar Yadav's rise as a preferred leader. Despite losing the captaincy role to SKY and Shubman Gill, Pandya's influence within the team remains significant.

Sanju Samson has scored most of his IPL runs at No. 3, second only to Suresh Raina in terms of overall runs at that position. His record at No. 3 is strong, with an average of 38 and a strike rate of 143 in the IPL. But fitting him in there would mean dropping Tilak Varma, which would also break the left-hand/right-hand balance India have carefully built in their middle order.

Rohit Sharma reflects on India's T20 World Cup victory, highlighting Suryakumar Yadav's crucial catch of David Miller as the turning point. He also reveals convincing Rahul Dravid to extend his coaching stint for one last shot at glory.