Laxman Lauds Iyer As India Defend Asian Games Cricket Gold

VVS Laxman lauds Iyer, praises India's adaptability after Asian Games gold

Aichi-Nagoya, October 6

India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in the men's cricket final held at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Saturday to successfully defend their gold medal.

In a video posted on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Instagram handle, Laxman, who is also Director of Cricket at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), said that the team faced challenges related to weather, travel and limited practice opportunities in Japan. However, he praised the players for staying committed, maintaining their fitness and making the most of every chance to train.

"Right from the time we came to Japan, we were challenged by weather, travel, lack of good practice sessions and preparation, but not even once did I feel that the team, all the players in the squad, were not eager to get ready for the big match. I felt that they were all well prepared; even though we were indoors, everyone did their fitness sessions, and whenever we got the opportunity to go and practice at the venue, we did that. So, overall, really happy with the way the outcome has come," he said.

Laxman lauded the team's adaptability, saying the players maintained a positive and professional approach despite challenging conditions in both the semi-final and final.

"And one thing which I'm really proud of is the adaptability they've shown. Because irrespective of the challenging conditions or circumstances, not once were they inflexible in the way they approached both the games. We know that the semifinals were on a tough wicket, but they showed positive intent. And again in the finals, with the bat, with the ball, I thought they were very professional."

Batting first in the final, India posted a commanding 211/6 in 20 overs thanks to Abhishek Sharma's blistering 61 off 28 balls. Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 51 off 22 balls, while Shivam Dube chipped in with a quick 27 off 14 deliveries.

Chasing 212 for victory, Pakistan mounted a strong challenge, led by Hasan Nawaz, who smashed 96 off 51 balls. However, India's bowlers held their nerve in the closing stages to restrict Pakistan to 192/6.

Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Dube claimed two wickets each as India successfully defended the total.

It was two in two for India as this victory came after India's women's team also defeated Sri Lanka in the gold medal clash, completing a memorable double for the country in cricket at the ongoing Asian Games.

Laxman also praised captain Shreyas Iyer's leadership qualities, calling him a players' captain who leads by example, prepares thoroughly, prioritises fitness and has a sharp tactical understanding of the game.

"It's just the start of his captaincy career, but I'm sure that he'll achieve a lot of success. And he's a player's captain. He makes everyone very comfortable and leads by example, whether with the bat or on the field. Even before the team meetings, he sits down with the plans of the strengths and the weaknesses of the opposition. And he's very thorough in the way he prepares. Puts a lot of emphasis on fitness," he said.

"I'm sure that he'll have a very successful tenure as a captain. He's a fabulous leader of players. Tactically very, very smart, very sharp. He understands the strengths of every player of his team, and he knows how to get the best out of them. And especially in T20, I think you need to be one or two steps ahead of the opposition. And the way he assesses the opposition's strengths and weaknesses prepares really well, and that's something which I'm very happy about," he added.

The former Indian Test maestro said the conditions and pitch in Japan were better than those in the 2023 Asian Games in China, where matches were generally low-scoring. He noted that the Indian teams in both Japan and China, despite having different levels of experience, adapted well to conditions unlike those in IPL or international cricket. Notably, India won gold medals in both the men's and women's cricket competitions at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China as well.

"I think the conditions, the ground, are much better than what we experienced in China. Even the wicket, I mean, I was quite pleasantly surprised that the wicket played well in the finals. Because in China it was all low-scoring games. One thing is that, in China, when we went, a lot of youngsters were part of that team here; a lot of senior players, experienced players who've already been part of the World Cup-winning team, are here. But both the teams adapted to the conditions. They also realise and recognise that it's not going to be the same as they experienced when they're playing IPL or international," he said.

Laxman said both Asian Games campaigns in China and Japan presented different challenges, but the players adapted well to secure the desired gold-medal results. He called the achievements a matter of great pride, noting that cricketers rarely get the opportunity to stand on the podium and receive a gold medal.

"Both the games in China and in Japan had their own set of challenges, and I'm happy that both the group of players again adapted and adjusted and got the desired result for the country because ultimately the aim and goal for all of us, whether in China or here in Japan, was to win the gold, because not very often do we as cricketers experience being on a podium and receiving the gold medal. So, I think that's a matter of great pride for both the teams in China and in Japan," he said.

Laxman credited the organisers for successfully conducting the Asian Games 2026 knockout matches despite heavy rain and praised the collective efforts of the selection committee, team management, Centre of Excellence and the BCCI for providing camps and development programmes to nurture the future of Indian cricket.

"Give a lot of credit to the organisers. Make sure that both the semifinals and both the finals and the third bronze medal match happened seamlessly because the amount of rain we experienced right from the time we came to the venue, for them to have two good days of cricket, shows that the organisers worked really hard, worked tirelessly to make this, you know, tournament a success. Collective effort of the selection committee, the team management, the Centre of Excellence, above all, BCCI for giving us all the opportunity to have various camps, various pathway and development programs where we can nurture the future of Indian cricket," he said.

Laxman said India's strong bench strength and abundance of talent put the country in a good position, with proper mentoring and grooming key to sustaining progress. He highlighted the recent performances of the senior men's team, India A, the Under-19 side and the women's team, saying continued nurturing of players will shape the future of Indian cricket.

"If the bench strength is strong, it'll only add to the depth of our national team. We've got an abundance of talent, players who will bring a lot of laurels to our country, not only now, but going forward over the next 5-10 years. It's how we mentor them, it's how we groom them and how we get the best out of them; that's in our hands. But it's great; I think the depth we have, we are in a very, very good position," he said.

"Not many countries are in this kind of a position. If the bench strength is strong, it will only add to the depth of our national team. And it's great. We are dominating against West Indies in the One-Day series. India A beat Australia A in the four-day series. India Under-19 is doing well and is now winning the gold at the Asian Games. Plus, let us not forget the women's cricket. They have got a lot of laurels for our country, winning the 50-over World Cup and then winning the gold at the Asian Games in Japan. So, overall, I think we are in a very good space. It's how we continue to monitor them, continue to nurture and get the best out of them, that will define how Indian cricket progresses in the near future," he added.

— ANI