Team India is ready to play in the Asia Cup 2025 under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav. A strong team has been selected for the tournament, and now it is the turn of the players to go there. There are reports that the team will gather in Dubai on 4 September. The Asia Cup will start on 9 September. The Indian team will start its campaign in the tournament against the UAE on 10 September. After this, it will face its archrival Pakistan in Dubai on 14 September. The team’s third group match will be against Oman on September 19, after which the Super Four round will begin.
The 15-member Indian team led by Suryakumar Yadav will assemble in Dubai on September 4 for the Asia Cup. The Indian team’s players will assemble in Dubai for the Asia Cup. Usually, the team members used to assemble in Mumbai and then leave together from there, but this time it is not happening. All players will travel directly to Dubai; this time, a new method has been adopted for the players. Instead of gathering in Mumbai as before, all the players will reach Dubai directly from their respective cities. Team India appears to be in strong form and is the favorite to win the Asia Cup 2025.
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Team India’s Record
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken this decision keeping in view the convenience and logistics of the players. If we look at the T20 record of the Indian team in Dubai, it has been excellent. Team India won here in its last match. It defeated Afghanistan in 2022.
Team India had suffered a humiliating defeat
India has played 9 T20 matches in Dubai so far. In 2021, it faced Pakistan for the first time here and India had to face defeat in that match. It was a T20 World Cup match. The Indian team lost against Pakistan for the first time in a World Cup. After that, India also lost to New Zealand in the same tournament.
Team India had won 4 consecutive matches
After these two defeats, India won four consecutive matches in Dubai. It defeated Scotland, Namibia, Pakistan, and Hong Kong. After that, it again lost against Pakistan in 2022. Sri Lanka also defeated it then. Both these matches were of the Asia Cup. Team India then defeated Afghanistan.
Team India’s Schedule in the Asia Cup
India will take on the United Arab Emirates in their first match of the tournament on September 10 and then take on archrivals Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai. Their third group match before the Super Four stage will be against Oman on September 19. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, part of the Indian squad for the Asia Cup, are playing for North Zone against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final, which began on Thursday, while Kuldeep Yadav is playing for Central Zone against North East Zone.
First net session on September 5
A senior BCCI official said that all the players will reach Dubai by September 4, and the first net session will be held at the ICC Academy on September 5. Keeping in mind the logistical convenience, the players will be asked to reach Dubai directly from their respective cities. Obviously, some members of the team will leave from Mumbai, but some other members believe that it is beyond comprehension to reach Mumbai first and then fly to Dubai. Anyway, it takes less time to reach Dubai than other international flights.
Indian team for the Asia Cup
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Jaspreet Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakraborty, Kuldeep Yadav, and Harshit Rana.
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The Indian team, led by Captain Suryakumar Yadav, will assemble in Dubai on September 4 for the Asia Cup starting on September 9. In Dubai, the players will reach Dubai directly from their respective places and join the team there. Usually, this is not seen.
The BCCI has taken this decision keeping in mind the arrangements and travel convenience of the players. According to media reports, all the players will reach Dubai by the evening of September 4. The first nation will be held on September 5 at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Academy.
Why are the players leaving separately?
Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, who are included in the Indian team for the Asia Cup, are playing for the North Zone against the East Zone, while Kuldeep Yadav is playing for the Central Zone against the North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy quarter-finals that started on Thursday.
Duleep Trophy matches are being played at the new NCA. Some members of the Indian team will leave from Mumbai. But some other members believe that reaching Mumbai first and then flying to Dubai is beyond comprehension. Anyway, it takes less time to reach Dubai than other international flights.
Standby players will not go to Dubai
4 standby players have been given a place in the Indian team squad for the Asia Cup 2025. This includes the names of players like Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, and Riyan Parag. Now, the question arises whether these players will also leave with the Indian team. According to the BCCI official, Krishna or Sundar, who are among the standby players, will not travel with the main team as net bowlers.