Asia Cup 2025: Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya Reveal How They Spent Time Away from Cricket
Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya share how they spent their break as India begins Asia Cup 2025 preparations in Dubai, ahead of the opener against UAE on September 10.
Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya during India’s training session in Dubai ahead of the Asia Cup 2025.
Intense training at the ICC Academy in Dubai has kicked off Team India's Asia Cup 2025 preparations. In order to give players time to adjust to the conditions before their title defense, the reigning champions chose to arrive early in the United Arab Emirates rather than setting up camp in India.
Jasprit Bumrah, who rejoined the T20I lineup following a 40-day hiatus, was the center of attention. Bumrah claimed that the break had rejuvenated him. He was last seen in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where his game-winning performance (2/18 against South Africa) helped India win the trophy.
"It feels fantastic. It's been a while since I joined the T20 group. The layover was quite beneficial—I have time at home. I'm looking forward to what lies ahead because the team has youthful energy," Bumrah stated.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya, who looks fresh blonde when training, revealed that during his time off from the game, he prioritized his family and his health.
This time, I gave my son my whole attention. I started my training earlier, but I also spent a lot of time with him. Pandya continued, "It's wonderful to be back with this group of exciting talent."
Mentor Gautam Gambhir, bowling coach Morne Morkel, and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak oversaw the session. After Dream11's sponsorship ended, players trained without logos.
India, the eight-time Asia Cup champions, are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, UAE, and Oman. Their campaign begins against hosts UAE on September 10, followed by the high-voltage clash with Pakistan on September 14 and the group-stage match against Oman on September 19. The playoffs are scheduled to start on September 20.
