India's Asia Cup 2025 campaign has received a significant boost as key players Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah have reportedly cleared their fitness tests ahead of the tournament. The pre-season fitness assessments were conducted at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Shubman Gill, India's Test skipper and T20I vice-captain, had recently recovered from an illness that forced him to miss the Duleep Trophy quarterfinal. After recovering in Chandigarh, he arrived at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence to undergo the mandatory fitness test. Gill is expected to join the Indian squad in Dubai soon. A video circulating on social media showed Gill facing a left-arm fast bowler in the nets, indicating his preparation for the match against Pakistan.
Jasprit Bumrah's workload management has been a topic of discussion. He had skipped two of the five Test matches in the recently concluded series in England. Bumrah has confirmed his availability for the Asia Cup. There were earlier reports that Bumrah might be rested for the Asia Cup to keep him fresh for future matches. However, he is now expected to lead the Indian pace attack.
The fitness tests included the standard Yo-Yo test and a DXA scan to ensure that each player met the fitness standards required for international competition. Several other players, including ODI captain Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, and Jitesh Sharma, also underwent the fitness tests. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Washington Sundar, and Shardul Thakur also cleared their fitness assessments.
The Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates from September 9 to September 28. India will begin their campaign against the UAE on September 10, followed by a match against Pakistan on September 14. India is in Group A along with Pakistan, UAE, and Oman. The team will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, with Shubman Gill as the vice-captain. The squad members are scheduled to assemble in Dubai on September 4. However, players will be flying separately from their home locations.