New Delhi, 06 October (H.S.):

The Indian men’s cricket team retained its Asian Games title by winning the gold medal for the second consecutive time. India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in the men’s cricket final played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Saturday, October 3. Following the victory, head coach VVS Laxman praised the players’ adaptability, preparation and the leadership of captain Shreyas Iyer.

In a video shared on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Instagram account, Laxman said the team faced several challenges in Japan, including weather conditions, travel and limited opportunities for practice. However, the players left no stone unturned to maintain their fitness and make the most of every available opportunity to train.

“From the time we arrived in Japan, we faced challenges with the weather, travel, quality practice sessions and preparation. But not once did I feel that the team, or any individual player in the team, was not eager to be ready for the big games. I felt that everyone was well prepared. Even when we were indoors, everyone completed their fitness sessions, and whenever we had an opportunity to go out and practise, we made full use of it. So, overall, I am really pleased with the result,” Laxman said.

Praising the team’s adaptability, Laxman said the players maintained a positive and professional approach despite challenging conditions in the semi-final and final.

“One thing I am really proud of is the adaptability of the players. Despite the challenging circumstances and conditions, there was not a moment in either game when their attitude wavered. We knew the semi-final pitch was difficult, but they showed positive intent. In the final as well, they were extremely professional with both bat and ball,” he said.

Batting first in the final, India posted 211 for six in 20 overs. Abhishek Sharma produced a blistering 61 off 28 balls, while Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 51 off 22 balls. Shivam Dube added a quick 27 off 14 deliveries.

Chasing 212, Pakistan mounted a strong challenge, led by Hasan Nawaz’s 96 off 51 balls. However, the Indian bowlers held their nerve in the final overs and restricted Pakistan to 192 for six. Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Shivam Dube claimed two wickets each.

It was India’s second consecutive gold medal in men’s cricket at the Asian Games. Earlier, the Indian women’s team had also defeated Sri Lanka in the gold-medal match, completing a memorable gold-medal double for India in cricket.

Laxman also lavished praise on Indian captain Shreyas Iyer’s leadership. Describing Iyer as a players’ captain, he said the skipper led by example, placed considerable emphasis on preparation, prioritised fitness and possessed a strong strategic understanding of the game.

“This is only the beginning of his captaincy career, but I am sure he will achieve a lot of success. He is a players’ captain. He makes everyone feel very comfortable and leads by example, whether with the bat or on the field. Even before team meetings, he comes prepared with plans regarding the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses. He is very methodical in his preparation and places a great deal of emphasis on fitness,” Laxman said.

“I am sure his tenure as captain will be very successful. He is a fantastic leader of players. Strategically, he is very, very astute and sharp. He understands the strengths of every player in his team and knows how to get the best out of them. Particularly in T20 cricket, you have to stay one or two steps ahead of the opposition. The way he assesses the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses and prepares accordingly is something that I am very pleased with,” he added.

Laxman said India’s two Asian Games campaigns in China and Japan presented different challenges, but the players adapted to the conditions and secured gold medals for the country.

“Both Games in China and Japan had their own challenges, and I am happy that both groups of players once again adapted to the conditions and achieved the desired result for the country. Ultimately, whether in China or Japan, our goal and objective was to win the gold medal,” he said.

Laxman also praised the organisers for successfully conducting the knockout matches despite heavy rainfall. He credited the collective efforts of the selection committee, team management, the Centre of Excellence and, above all, the BCCI.

“Full credit should go to the organisers. They ensured that both semi-finals, both finals and the bronze-medal match were conducted without interruption. Despite the amount of rain we experienced from the time we arrived at the venue, we were able to have two good days of cricket. This shows how hard the organisers worked and how consistently they operated to make the tournament a success,” he said.

“It was a collective effort by the selection committee, team management, the Centre of Excellence and, above all, the BCCI, which gave us the opportunity to organise various camps, different pathways and development programmes through which we can prepare the future of Indian cricket,” Laxman added.

Laxman said India’s strong bench strength and abundance of talent put the country in a favourable position. He stressed that providing players with the right guidance and training would remain crucial to the continued progress of Indian cricket.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar