Shubman Gill Prepares for Asia Cup with Fitness Test
Indian cricket captain for Tests and vice-captain for T20s, Shubman Gill, has arrived at the BCCI Centre of Excellence for a fitness test and to get ready for the upcoming Asia Cup in Dubai. The Indian team is set to gather in Dubai on September 4, in advance of their first match against the United Arab Emirates on September 9.
Due to a recent bout of flu, Gill had to miss the Duleep Trophy quarterfinals, where he was slated to lead the North Zone team. Before heading to Bengaluru for his fitness assessment, he focused on recovering at his home in Chandigarh. This time, players will fly to Dubai from different locations rather than gathering in Mumbai as they did in previous tournaments.
Alongside Gill, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma has also reached the Centre of Excellence to prepare for the tournament. Other key players, including pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammad Siraj, and Shardul Thakur, are expected to arrive soon for their assessments.
While Thakur will captain the West Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinals, Jaiswal and Sundar, who are on standby for the Asia Cup, will also participate in the semifinals of the domestic tournament. Some Asia Cup-bound players like Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Kuldeep Yadav are currently competing in the Duleep Trophy quarterfinals.
Additionally, the South Zone will need to appoint a new captain for the Duleep Trophy semifinals, as Tilak Varma has been included in the Asia Cup squad.
Injury Update on Mukesh Kumar
In other news, East Zone faced a challenge as pacer Mukesh Kumar was unable to bowl during the second innings of their match due to a possible injury. He had previously taken a break to address discomfort in his thigh/groin, although he returned to bat in the first innings. Unfortunately, he could not participate further in the match on the third day of the quarterfinals.
This marks a crucial time for the Indian team as players prepare for the Asia Cup alongside domestic competitions.
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