Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian captain, agreed that competing in the T20I format necessitates being completely prepared for the special demands of that brand of cricket. He will lead the Indian squad in a big tournament for the first time since taking over as captain from Rohit Sharma during the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The Mumbai-born cricketer voiced optimism in the team’s preparations, adding that while they haven’t played T20Is in a while, they have had good practice and bonding time as a group. On September 10, India will open their continental tournament campaign against the hosts, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“If you come to play this format, you know how to keep your preparations going. If your preparation is good, then you are very confident when you take on the field. And we have been having some good amount of preparation recently, and I know that as a team we haven’t played T20s in a long time, but we were here [in Dubai, the venue for India vs UAE] early 3-4 days back. We had some good time as a team together. And we are really looking forward to this tournament,” said Suryakumar in the press conference.
🗣️ We’ve had good preparations and time together as a team#TeamIndia captain Suryakumar Yadav talks about the importance of preparations ahead of #AsiaCup2025 @surya_14kumar pic.twitter.com/OsU5HWcLKI
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 9, 2025
Aggression is always there for Suryakumar Yadav & Co.
India will face arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14, marking their first encounter since the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor. When asked about managing aggression on the field, the captains of both nations emphasized the importance of channelling intensity in a constructive and disciplined manner.
“Aggression is always there when we take the field. Without it, I don’t think you can play this sport. I’m very excited to take the field tomorrow. You don’t need to say anything to any player-everyone is different and knows how to bring their best,” said Suryakumar.
“If someone wants to be aggressive on the field, they’re more than welcome. Fast bowlers, in particular, thrive on aggression-you can’t stop them, that’s what fuels them. As long as it stays within the spirit of the game, there are no restrictions from my side,” said Pakistan skipper, Salman Ali Agha
India
