India have won both their matches so far in the Asia Cup 2025.
Catches win matches! The importance of good fielding cannot be brushed aside, irrespective of the format of the game. Having said that, fielding coach T Dilip has come up with a unique drill to help India at the Asia Cup 2025. The UAE’s prime venue, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, poses a different challenge because the floodlights are placed in an unorthodox way, which looks like a ring of fire
This poses a difficulty for fielders, mostly those on the boundary line. When the ball is in the air, the players often lose track for a split second. To add to the challenge, the colour of the ball is the same as the floodlights.
India have qualified for the Super Fours stage on the back of impressive victories in the first two games. After hammering the hosts in their tournament opener, the Men in Blue eased their way past arch-rivals Pakistan. Suryakumar Yadav & Co. are the clear favourites to clinch the trophy.
The basics of fielding include watching the ball from the time it leaves the bat. But it is quite a challenge in Dubai.
To counter this issue, fielding coach T Dilip has introduced a new drill for Team India. During the catch practice, especially in the deep, the players are instructed to look away for a split second after the ball is hit in the air. This is a deliberate attempt to simulate the same kind of experience which a player goes through in the match. Due to this, the player has to focus setting sight on the ball once again to successfully complete the catch.
Dilip also spoke about the humidity at the venue that team India have to deal with. He also mentioned that the drop on the ball is different due to the humid conditions. The idea behind training in this manner is for the players to realise that they have a lot of time to catch the ball.
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The winds play a huge role in the movement of the ball while it is in the air. Open stadiums tend to allow the ball to breeze through while coming down. In such conditions, players need to stay nimble on their feet to grab the catch. The higher the trajectory of the ball, the tougher it is to stay stable under it.
On the other hand, closed stadiums like the Dubai International Cricket Stadium provide a different challenge. Other than the floodlight dynamics mentioned above, the dip on the ball is a bit more as compared to other stadiums. In simpler words, once the ball goes in the air, it tends to come down a lot quicker than players anticipate. This is why teams need to have good fielders in ideal positions.
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