India Vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2025: Suryakumar Yadav, Salman Ali Agha Won’t Stop On-Field Aggression In Blockbuster Clash

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav stated his side will maintain aggression in their upcoming Asia Cup 2025 clash against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 14. His Pakistani counterpart, Salman Ali Agha, echoed similar views. India will open their campaign against the UAE on Wednesday, September 10, before facing Pakistan.

Approaching On-Field Aggression

Speaking on Tuesday, September 9, about the highly anticipated Sunday clash, Suryakumar Yadav responded to queries about player intensity. He stated, in response to being asked about temper: – ‘‘Temper? Sir, aggression is always there on the field when we take the field. Without aggression, I do not believe one can play this sport. And I am sure, I am very excited to take the field on the front foot.’’

Salman Ali Agha held an identical view on aggression. He stated he would not issue specific instructions to his players. Salman explained, ‘‘Well, you do not need to say anything to any player. Everyone is individually very different. If someone wants to be aggressive on the field, they are more than welcome to do that.’’ He added, ‘‘When it comes to fast bowlers, they are always aggressive.’’

India Vs Pakistan Preparations Amidst Tensions

This Asia Cup 2025 fixture occurs amidst border tensions between India and Pakistan. These tensions arose after terrorists killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam earlier this year, leading to military action by India under ‘Operation Sindoor’.

During the captains’ press conference and trophy unveiling ceremony, the emcee requested the media ask only apolitical questions. Suryakumar and Salman were not seated together; Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan sat between them.

Suryakumar Yadav faced a question regarding a potential change in his team’s approach and philosophy. He cheekily retorted, ‘‘Why are you needling me?’’ He then elaborated, ‘‘When you play a format, you need to know how good your preparation is. Why mend something that is not broken? If something has given us results, why would we need to change that aspect separately?’’

Player Selection And Leadership Challenges

A journalist posed the inevitable question about whether Sanju Samson or Jitesh Sharma would make the playing XI for Wednesday’s match. Suryakumar Yadav kept his cards close to his chest but used his trademark cheeky humour when responding to the query about Samson.

The journalist asking the question hailed from Kerala, Samson’s home state. Suryakumar Yadav laughed and said, ‘‘I will message you the whole team, sir.’’ He then added in a slightly serious tone, ‘‘We are taking good care of him. Do not worry, we will take the right decision tomorrow.’’

When quizzed about the pressure of being title favourites, he admitted the pressure of coming good. He responded, ‘‘Who said that? (favourites) I have not heard it.’’ He continued, ‘‘You have played in this format and you know how your preparations are. If your preparations are good, then you will be very confident when you take the field. We are playing Twenty20 as a team after a long time.’’

For Salman Ali Agha, the challenge is to prove that the team has moved beyond Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan; these two senior players were dropped from the squad.

Salman stated: ‘‘We are playing very good cricket. I think for almost four months, we have won three series out of four. So we are doing very well as a team and, at the same time, we are very excited.’’ He concluded, ‘‘A lot of the boys will play Asia Cup for the first time, but they are ready for the challenge.’’

(With PTI Inputs)