India Focused on Cricket, Not Controversy, Ahead of Asia Cup Clash with Pakistan: Batting Coach Kotak
As anticipation builds for the high-stakes India-Pakistan clash at the 2025 Asia Cup, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has reaffirmed the team's commitment to staying focused on the cricket, not the political noise surrounding the match.
Speaking ahead of India's training session in Dubai on Friday, Kotak addressed concerns about off-field distractions, especially amid calls from some quarters in India to boycott matches against Pakistan following recent political tensions and the Pahalgam terror attack in April.
“For the players and for us, once the BCCI says yes and aligns with the government, we are here to prepare and to play,” Kotak said. “It will be a competitive game. An India-Pakistan game always is. So, we would rather focus on that.”
When asked if such situations make it difficult to concentrate on the cricket, Kotak was emphatic. “Honestly, I don’t think so. Once we are here, the players are fully focused. They’re not thinking of anything else apart from the match.”
Samson’s Role: Flexibility Key in Batting Line-up
Another talking point ahead of the blockbuster fixture is India’s batting order — particularly where Sanju Samson fits in. While Samson has thrived at the top of the order in domestic and IPL cricket, Kotak suggested that the wicketkeeper-batter is being prepared to adapt to the finisher’s role if needed.
“There is nothing fixed after the top three,” Kotak said. “Although we have a few aggressive players, depending on the situation, either the head coach or the captain will decide their batting position.”
Kotak named Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, and Samson as players who could all potentially finish an innings.
“Maybe we have more than one finisher,” he said. “It depends on the situation, who is bowling, what kind of wicket it is — and all of them are capable of adjusting accordingly. That’s a great asset to have.”
Kotak also praised the team’s versatility, saying players were now both mentally and technically ready to bat at any position if the game situation demanded it.
No Workload Worries for Batters
Addressing recent concerns over player workload — particularly with Shubman Gill set to lead the Test side just three days after the Asia Cup — Kotak clarified that the team’s workload-management strategy mainly applies to fast bowlers.
“Workload management is generally done for fast bowlers,” he said. “If batters feel mentally fatigued, that’s a different matter. But otherwise, batsmen don’t face the same kind of workload issues.”
Team Selection Based on Conditions, Not Preferences
On whether Arshdeep Singh, India’s leading T20I wicket-taker, could again be left out due to spin-friendly conditions, Kotak said selection decisions were made with the team’s best interests in mind.
“There’s no agenda. No personal preferences,” he insisted. “Whatever is best for the team, the captain and coach will decide. And the players understand that.”
Kotak added that even those not in the XI are contributing by supporting their teammates, creating a healthy and unified team environment.
India will face Pakistan in what is expected to be a fiercely competitive Asia Cup encounter in Dubai, with the team emphasizing unity, clarity in roles, and readiness to adapt — both in terms of playing conditions and the broader context surrounding the match.