The Indian cricket teams bound for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, are gearing up for their training camps set to kick off in Bengaluru next week. Given the differing schedules for the men’s and women’s teams, the duration of these camps will vary, but they are seen as valuable opportunities for players to gain experience in a multi-sport competition like the Asian Games, which will be held from September 23 to October 8.
According to information revealed, the men’s team, led by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and under the guidance of coach VVS Laxman, will engage in an intensive two-week camp from September 12 to 24. Meanwhile, the women’s team, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur and overseen by Hrishikesh Kanitkar, will have a shorter four-day camp from September 13 to 16. The women’s team will depart for China on September 17, explaining the compacted schedule.
The men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games is slated to run from September 26 to October 8, while the women’s matches will take place between September 19 and 28. Both tournaments will follow the T20 format and will be held at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field. Despite the women’s competition starting on September 19, the Indian team, having secured a direct spot in the quarterfinals, will commence their campaign from September 22.
It’s unlikely that additional members and standby players will accompany the squads due to strict limitations on the number of athletes allowed in the Games Village. This situation mirrors the challenges faced during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where women’s cricket was a medal event. In that instance, additional individuals had to be accommodated in private hotels, and their interaction with the players was restricted due to limited access.
Men’s Squad:
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rahul Tripathi
- Tilak Varma
- Rinku Singh
- Jitesh Sharma (wk)
- Washington Sundar
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Avesh Khan
- Arshdeep Singh
- Mukesh Kumar
- Shivam Mavi
- Shivam Dube
- Prabhsimran Singh (wk)
Standbys:
- Yash Thakur
- Sai Kishore
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Deepak Hooda
- Sai Sudharsan
Women Squad:
- Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain)
- Smriti Mandhana (Vice-Captain)
- Shafali Verma
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Deepti Sharma
- Richa Ghosh (wk)
- Amanjot Kaur
- Devika Vaidya
- Anjali Sarvani
- Titas Sadhu
- Rajeshwari Gayakwad
- Minnu Mani
- Kanika Ahuja
- Uma Chetry (wk)
- Anusha Bareddy
Standbys:
- Harleen Deol
- Kashvee Gautam
- Sneh Rana
- Saika Ishaque
- Pooja Vastrakar
Also, see:
Asia Cup 2023: SLC and BCB unhappy for giving ‘unfair advantage’ to India and Pakistan
