NEW DELHI: Defending champions India intensified their Asia Cup 2025 preparations with another full-fledged practice session at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Saturday. While bowlers kept the intensity high, the major talking point of Day 2 was the way India's top-order batters focused heavily on big-hitting, particularly aerial shots, in the nets.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India open their campaign against hosts UAE on September 10 before taking on arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14 and Oman on September 19. With less than a week to go, the practice sessions have been geared toward match readiness, with a clear emphasis on aggressive batting.
According to updates shared by journalist Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel, all the top-order names –
Shubman Gill,
Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma,
Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh – padded up and spent significant time in the nets. Each of them tested their range-hitting, sending balls consistently over the ropes. Gill, known for his classical stroke play, too worked extensively on his aerial game, while Suryakumar and Shivam Dube added their natural flair.
The standout, however, was young opener Abhishek Sharma, who cleared the boundary with remarkable ease and consistency, making a strong case for himself as Gill's opening partner. The left-hander's effortless six-hitting was noted as the highlight of the session. Rinku Singh, after his batting stint, also underwent a separate fielding drill under coach T Dilip.
Jasprit Bumrah bowled long spells, particularly to Gill, while Arshdeep Singh tested batters with short-pitched deliveries.
Hardik Pandya contributed in both departments – bowling early on before switching to batting. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy kept the batters honest with extended spells of spin, with Kuldeep even beating Tilak Varma on occasion.
Sanju Samson, who skipped batting in the early stage of nets and instead spent a prolonged knocking session with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, later joined the batting session and was seen clearing the boundary with ease. With Gill, Samson, and Abhishek all in contention, it will be interesting to see who emerges as India’s designated openers.
Discussions between head coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Suryakumar Yadav, and vice-captain Gill were also observed, hinting at tactical fine-tuning.
India are the designated hosts of the Asia Cup, being played across venues in the UAE. With their batters showing attacking intent in practice, fans can expect an aggressive approach when the Men in Blue begin their title defense.
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