With the Asia Cup heating up, every one is looking forward to the big event India vs Pakistan, which takes place on Sunday. The Indian dressing room is allegedly under pressure as the boycott clamor calls on social media continue to mount. The controversy is reported to have a visible effect on several of the players, such as Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill.
Rising Tensions in India vs Pakistan Dressing Room
There are reports of the boycott campaign rocking the Indian squad. The majority of the players are quite young and active on social networks, which means that they are hypersensitive to online criticism. This allegedly caused the tense atmosphere, and the team management sent assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate to address the pre-match press conference.
It was also considered questionable why the assistant coach was sent in place of the head coach Gautam Gambhir, or the captain Suryakumar Yadav since the India vs Pakistan rivalry in the Asia Cup 2025 was so high. This was a sign of the sensitivity that had been created in the Indian camp.
Players Will Channel Their Emotions: Coach’s Take
Ten Doeschate when interviewed on players showing emotions on the field categorically said, “Yes, I think they will.” He acknowledged the sensitive nature of the issue while emphasizing the shared sentiments of the Indian public.
“It is a very sensitive issue. I have no doubt the players share the compassion and feelings of the vast majority of the Indian public,” he explained. “The Asia Cup was in limbo for a long period of time, and we were just waiting.”
Balancing Professionalism with National Sentiments
Although a foreign coach, Ten Doeschate demonstrated knowledge of the political crisis that was plaguing the India vs Pakistan match. He assured that players will not lose their focus due to the controversy.
“We’re aware of people’s feelings. At the same time, we will put it behind us, and the guys will get a chance to play for their country again tomorrow,” he said. “They will be as professional and focused as they can be given the circumstances.”
The message was obvious the players need to focus on their performance rather than the feelings of people, despite the fact that they should not be disregarded.
Gambhir’s Advice to Indian Players Ahead of Asia Cup 2025
At the final part of the press conference, Ten Doeschate passed the message to the team members by head coach Gambhir before the India vs Pakistan match.
“We obviously are aware of the sentiments and the strong feelings. And Gauti’s message has just been very professional about not worrying about things that are not in our control,” he shared.
“Just trying to be emotionless when approaching the cricket side of things. The guys are professional enough now. I’m sure individuals have different levels of feeling on the spectrum of where they feel the whole situation is.”
The focus is always on giving attention to pure cricket as compared to the outside scandals.
When the India vs Pakistan game will take place in Asia Cup 2025, millions of people will not only watch the game but also the feelings players will show. Will the professionalism rule or the national feeling be dominant? The game on Sunday is going to be a drama both on and off the field.
