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Team India's preparations for the Asia Cup have officially begun, with players starting to arrive in Dubai. Following a break from competitive cricket, the countdown to the Asia Cup 2025 has accelerated as the continental tournament is all set to start from September 9. Key members of the squad were spotted at the Mumbai airport on Wednesday, ready to jet off to the United Arab Emirates. As the defending champions, India is set to play the host nation, the UAE, in the opening match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 10.
Suryakumar, Hardik, Gautam leave for Dubai ahead of Asia Cup
Meanwhile, captain Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya were among those seen heading to Dubai. In a change from past tournaments, the BCCI has decided against holding a preparatory camp in India. Instead, all players have been instructed to assemble directly in Dubai, where they will join the team's camp.
This year's Asia Cup marks a new era for the Indian team. With the absence of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the squad will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, with Shubman Gill as his deputy. This tournament is also a significant moment for head coach Gautam Gambhir, who is taking charge for his first multi-nation T20 event.
The squad's first group practice is scheduled for Friday at the ICC Academy. The three-hour evening session is designed to help all players get into a rhythm for what promises to be a busy week. As per the BCCI's directive, all 15 members of the main squad are required to be in Dubai by Thursday night. The players have been instructed to travel individually from their respective cities to join the camp.
The Asia Cup 2025 will be the first major multi-team event in this format for the Indian men's cricket team after Kohli and Rohit's retirement.
India's Asia Cup squad:
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh
Reserves: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal
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