Indian players go through their paces during a training session.
Credit: X/@BCCI
Dubai: India’s lead-up to the defence of their Asia Cup title has been measured, studied, even relaxed. In the two weeks since arriving in Dubai, they have had numerous long and concentrated training sessions at the ICC Academy Oval, but from the start of their campaign on September 10, Suryakumar Yadav’s men have played just two matches in nine days.
That will change from Friday, when they make the two-hour drive to Abu Dhabi to take on Oman in their final Group A fixture at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Over the next eight days, the Indian cricket team will be involved in four games; it could become five outings in 10 days if they make it to the September 28 final, which will be the first objective for a team that won the 50-over Asia Cup title in Colombo two years back but failed to advance beyond the Super Fours when the tournament was played in the current 20-over format here in 2022.
India have barely been stretched by UAE or Pakistan. Victories by nine and seven wickets respectively aptly reflect the strength and dominance of the reigning T20 World Cup winners, who have stacked up a 19-3 win-loss record since July last year.
Ahead of the undoubtedly stiffer battles that lie ahead, starting with their opening Super Four contest against Pakistan on Sunday, India’s designs will revolve around getting as many batters as they can to spend time in the middle.
Oman have been out of their depth, shot out for 67 by Pakistan and 130 by UAE. Coached by former Sri Lankan captain Duleep Mendis, they are still finding their feet at the international level and while they will be excited at the possibility of being on the same field as their celebrated opponents – the two teams have never met previously – it is inevitable that they will be intimidated by the overwhelming superiority of an Indian outfit that appears to have all bases covered.
India will contemplate rejigging their batting order, if the opportunity presents itself, to allow competitive batting time for the likes of Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, who constitute a power-packed middle order that will be called into action, potentially under pressure, in the second stage.
Abhishek Sharma has produced two terrific cameos without kicking on, Shubman Gill has spent more than enough time at the batting crease in the last three months, Tilak Varma warmed up nicely with a neat effort against Pakistan and Suryakumar has bared his fangs.
They will want to fill their boots, too, but team interests will always come first.
While wholesale changes may not be the norm, the return of Arshdeep Singh for Jasprit Bumrah can’t be ruled out. India’s most prolific T20I bowler, the left-arm quick has been sitting on 99 wickets, and on the bench, since the fourth of five encounters against England on January 31 in Pune.
India’s stated faith in spin has worked against Arshdeep but as bitter a pill as that might be to swallow, the 26-year-old understands that all he can do is bide his time and prepare as best as possible to grab his chance, as and when it presents itself.
Since their drama-soaked subjugation of Pakistan on Sunday, India have been judicious in alternating between rest and practice.
They took Wednesday off and opted for an optional session in Dubai on Thursday evening, wisely choosing to conserve their energies ahead of what is certain to be an arduous week in unrelenting heat.