India’s Test captain Shubman Gill will reach Bengaluru on Friday and will train at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in the city ahead of the Asia Cup, according to a report in The Times of India. The star batter
has been named the vice-captain for the continental tournament.
Gill had to skip the opening round of the Duleep Trophy because of a viral flu, but having regained fitness, he will now undergo a routine assessment before fine-tuning his preparations.
Gill managed two gym sessions in Mohali and had a batting stint on Thursday as well. With persistent rains lashing North India, adequate practice facilities near his home were hard to find.
According to the report, Gill might leave for Dubai from Bengaluru itself, with some other members of the Asia Cup-bound team already camped there.
The 15-member Indian team led by Suryakumar Yadav will assemble in Dubai on September 4 for the Asia Cup, which starts on September 9.
According to previous reports, there is a lot of activity at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence right now, with leading cricketers from the nation either taking part in the Duleep Trophy or undergoing routine tests ahead of the Asia Cup.
According to the report, India will have Dubai as their base throughout the event and will make same-day return trips to the United Arab Emirates for the games scheduled there.
In a departure from the laid-out convention, cricketers will reach Dubai in a staggered manner from their respective locations, unlike on other occasions when the team would first assemble in Mumbai before departure.
The decision was taken keeping logistics in mind and the travelling convenience of the cricketers as well.
“All the players will arrive in Dubai by September 4 evening and the first nets session will be held on September 5 at the ICC Academy. Factoring in the logistical convenience, the players will be allowed to fly into Dubai from their respective cities,” a senior BCCI official told PTI.
