
Ahead of the 2026 Asian Games running from September 20 in Aichi-Nagoya, Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer pointed out that adapting to unfamiliar local pitches will be the primary objective for his squad. India aims to improve upon their previous record haul of 106 medals earned during the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, where Ruturaj Gaikwad captained a backup roster to gold.
In an official BCCI social media clip, Iyer noted the importance of squad cohesion and reading Japanese surfaces before their tournament journey kicks off directly in the quarter-finals on Monday, September 28.
Unlike their earlier title defense, the national side will field top-tier talent, including Jasprit , Abhishek Sharma, Sanju , , Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma as vice-captain, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Vipraj Nigam, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Arshdeep Singh, and Vaibhav . VVS Laxman takes over head coaching duties for the competition rather than Gautam Gambhir.
Prior to their quarter-final fixture, the group will hold preparations through an unprecedented inaugural Twenty20 International contest against hosts Japan.
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