On the eve of India’s Asia Cup 2025 opener against UAE, the spotlight fell firmly on young opener Abhishek Sharma, who turned the optional nets session at the ICC Academy into a power-hitting exhibition.
Abhishek Sharma steals the show
The left-hander struck close to 30 sixes in an hour-long stint, stunning teammates and support staff with his clean, effortless hitting. What impressed most was his timing and hand-eye coordination, rather than sheer muscle power, as deliveries consistently sailed beyond the practice facility. With India experimenting with new combinations under coach Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek’s form comes at the perfect time.
Shubman Gill’s mixed outing
Vice-captain Shubman Gill, expected to open alongside Abhishek, had a more mixed session. He looked assured early, caressing cover drives with trademark grace, but his net practice ended when a local net bowler beat his defence to rattle his off stump. Despite that dismissal, Gill remains India’s locked-in opener, with Sanju Samson likely to miss out.
Jitesh Sharma behind the stumps
With Samson resting, Jitesh Sharma put in sharp wicketkeeping drills under coach T. Dilip, including “no-look” catches to test reflexes. His workload suggests he will don the gloves in India’s starting XI for the tournament.
Senior players opt for recovery
Key seniors including Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Harshit Rana skipped the optional training, prioritising recovery. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh was seen working separately on fitness under S&C coach Adrian Le Roux, highlighting the emphasis on workload management ahead of a packed schedule.
India face UAE in their Group A opener on September 10 in Dubai, before the high-profile clash against Pakistan later in the week.
