Asia Cup 2025 preparation highlights India’s shift to early acclimatization strategy

Hyderabad: With less than a week to go before the Asia Cup 2025 begins, the Indian team has started its first training sessions in Dubai, signaling a shift in preparation methods. Instead of holding a camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, the management sent players early to adjust to local conditions.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav, coach Gautam Gambhir, and senior players including Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah led the training at the ICC Academy. ESPN Cricinfo footage also showed Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Rinku Singh in action, with Samson and Bumrah seen in animated discussion.

Asia Cup 2025 seen as India’s key test before packed T20 calendar

The decision follows a long gap since India’s last outing, the Test series against England. Analysts suggest that early acclimatization in Dubai reflects an effort to minimize risks in high-pressure tournaments.

For India, the Asia Cup 2025 is not only about chasing a second T20 crown but also about refining squad combinations before major global tournaments. With eight nations in contention, the event will serve as a testing ground for India’s bench strength and leadership under Suryakumar Yadav.