With an aggressive mindset and intense training sessions, India looks set to make a powerful statement when they step onto the field, observes K R Nayar, the veteran cricket writer, from Dubai.
The intensity with which the Indian cricket team trained for the ICC Champions Trophy at the ICC Academy spoke volumes.
On Monday evening, their practice session, which began at around 6:30 pm, extended well past 10:30 pm.
Eager cricket fans virtually mobbed the Indian team bus as they left the practice session around 11 pm.
Every player was cheered as they boarded the bus, with the loudest applause reserved for Skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, on whom fans have placed high expectations for a strong performance in this tournament.
A few local bowlers were recruited to bowl alongside the Indian bowlers, and they were seen performing with great enthusiasm.
Among them was Wasim Akram, a left-arm pacer named after the legendary Pakistani bowler by his father, an ardent fan.
The atmosphere became electric when Hardik Pandya took to batting. His powerful lofted shots from the practice nets on Oval Ground 1 frequently landed in Oval Ground 2.
The sheer force behind his strokes made some Indian players move to safer spots to avoid being hit.
Kohli seemed to enjoy Pandya's power-hitting, playfully dodging a few shots and happily retrieving the ball to throw it back to the bowlers.
A notable observation was the jovial mood within the squad. The only noticeable difference was that of Coach Gautam Gambhir who maintained a stern demeanoUr.
Several players contribute to the fun and energy in the squad, especially Ravindra Jadeja, Shreyas Iyer and Arshdeep Singh.
After their practice, Jadeja, Kohli and Iyer engaged in sprinting drills, while Singh gave Iyer some catching practice using a tennis ball racket.
Meanwhile, the support staff were seen often racing to retrieve balls that had scattered across different parts of the ground.
Given the way every batter was striking the ball hard, it was evident that the team is adopting an aggressive approach.
Even some support staff members were spotted sprinting alongside the players.
Anand Subramaniam, BCCI's media manager, is a familiar face among local officials who regularly assist the team, having accompanied India for multiple matches in the UAE.
A significant media contingent from India will be here for the tournament. As a result, ICC Media Managers Rajshekhar Rao, Emmad Hameed (who also serves as the Emirates Cricket Board's media manager), and Faisal Khokhar, an experienced media coordinator for major events in the UAE, were seen preparing hard to manage the growing media presence.
Security around the Indian team was tight, and only accredited journalists were allowed near the practice area.
Since it was a closed practice session with no media interactions, photographers required powerful lenses to capture the action from a distance.
Accreditation of media is still in the process, and hence journalists eager to watch the practice session were given blue wristbands.
It made one wonder whether the blue colour was because it was the Indian team practicing, and that they are also addressed as the 'men in blue'.
Meanwhile, social media is abuzz with discussions aimed at fueling the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry.
One prominent topic was the reported absence of Indian flags at Karachi's National stadium, with only the flags of other participating nations displayed.
This was seen by many as a reaction to India's decision not to play in Pakistan. Additionally, debates have emerged over why Rohit Sharma was seen wearing a Champions Trophy jersey featuring Pakistan's name.
The cool and calm Sharma seemed undeterred by all that was happening around. After practice, he engaged in friendly conversations with journalists who had patiently waited until the session concluded.
Sharma and the senior players understand that, ultimately, what truly matters is their focus on the bat and ball when match day arrives.
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
© 2025