Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes that while the Men in Blue are favourites to lift the Asia Cup 2025, a more competitive outing against the UAE would have helped them prepare better for the upcoming clash against Pakistan.
India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, began their campaign with a resounding nine-wicket victory over UAE, chasing down the target with ease. Speaking on Sony Sports, Nayar said that losing the Asia Cup would only point to something going wrong in India’s setup, given the strength of their squad.
“I won’t call them contenders, they are coming after becoming champions. The kind of squad they have and the way they are playing in this format, this tournament is for them to lose. If they don’t win this tournament, there is something that’s gone wrong,” Nayar remarked.
Turning his attention to the September 14 showdown between India and Pakistan, Nayar suggested that the one-sided nature of the UAE game denied India the chance to fully test themselves. He noted that skipper Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir went into the opener with the clear intent of finishing the match quickly, but a tougher contest would have been more useful.
“So, as a precursor, would you have wanted to understand the conditions? However, Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir had the thought process of playing to win and finishing the match as early as they could. So, a little too easy. A little challenge would have been good because I always believe preparation is only when it’s hard,” he explained.
India will face Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday in one of the most anticipated fixtures of the Asia Cup 2025.
