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Indian cricketers and head coach Gautam Gambhir prepare for the high-stakes Pakistan clash amidst Pahalgam terror attack tensions.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead the Indian team against Pakistan (Picture credit: AP)
The Indian cricketers were involved in lengthy chats with head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management ahead of the high-voltage clash against Pakistan, according to a report in The Times of India, the spirit of which has been marred in the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack in April.
Indian cricketers have been requested to stay professional and approach the match like any other, though putting that into practice may prove difficult.
It is a young team, with most cricketers scrolling through social media as soon as they reclaim their phones after intense net sessions.
They are professionals, yet the border clashes in May left them unsettled and now, the backdrop of boycott calls adds to the pressure.
The tension was evident, with neither the head coach, captain, nor any cricketer attending the pre-match press conference before such a high-stakes match.
On the eve of the game, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate was asked whether the cricketers would carry the emotions of a wounded public.
“We obviously are aware of the sentiments and the strong feelings. And Gauti’s (Gambhir’s nickname) message has just been very professional, about not worrying about things that are not in our control,” Ten Doeschate said at the pre-match press conference.
“I have no doubt the players share the compassion and feeling of the vast majority of the Indian public. The Asia Cup was in limbo for a long period of time and we were just waiting,” Ten Doeschate added.
The former Dutch player soon realised that an India-Pakistan clash starts well before the first delivery is bowled.
Ten Doeschate’s face often fell into a blank stare, silences stretching, every word released with the caution of stepping on a landmine.
“We didn’t think we were going to be coming at one stage. But obviously, you know what the government’s stance is. Now the team, particularly the players, have to put their sentiments and emotions behind,” Ten Doeschate said.
September 14, 2025, 07:49 IST
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