Indian all-rounder Shivam Dube has revealed the motivational message delivered by India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup.
India has already begun preparations to defend their title, and Gambhir’s inspiring words have set the tone for the tournament. On Friday, the team held their first practice session at the ICC Academy ground in Dubai. The BCCI later shared a video of the training session on their official website, where Dube highlighted what the coach told the players.
“Coach said that whenever you play for the country, you always get an opportunity to achieve something new. You must make the most of it, practice the right way, and become a better cricketer.”
This was India’s first collective training session since their 2-2 Test series draw against England. Several senior players, including vice-captain Shubman Gill, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav, had taken about a month’s rest ahead of the Asia Cup.
Bumrah, who hasn’t played T20 cricket for India since the 2024 T20 World Cup final, is eager to make his return.
“It feels really good. I’ve rejoined the T20 squad after a long time. Those three weeks of rest were great; I spent some time at home. Now I’m excited and looking forward to what’s ahead.”
India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, will kick off their Asia Cup campaign against the UAE on September 10 in Dubai. The last time India played the Asia Cup final, in 2023, they defeated Sri Lanka by 10 wickets to lift the trophy — though that was in the ODI format.
