On the eve of India’s high-voltage Asia Cup meeting with Pakistan, the training ground at Dubai International Stadium witnessed a heartwarming moment that eased some of the pre-match tension.Abhishek Sharma’s father Raj Kumar Sharma paid a visit to a training session late on Saturday, waiting patiently outside the boundary rope with a wide smile as players wrapped up their session. Spotting him, Abhishek, Shubman Gill and Arshdeep Singh made their way over. The trio exchanged hugs with him before Gill, India’s vice-captain, bent down to touch the senior Sharma’s feet in a gesture of respect that drew warm smiles all around.The latter also greeted Gill as “kaptaan saab”. The 26-year-old is acting as the vice-captain in the Asia Cup, but led the side in the Test series against England earlier. The players were later seen sharing lighthearted jokes and conversation with Abhishek’s father, lifting spirits in what has otherwise been a tense buildup to Sunday’s clash.
Abhishek Sharma with his father Raj Kumar Sharma on Saturday (Image credit – Pratyush Raj/TimesofIndia.com)
Earlier in the day, there had been a moment of concern when Gill was struck on the hand while batting in the nets. The physio rushed in to attend to him, and the batter walked off briefly in visible discomfort, even sitting on the ice box with teammates by his side. Captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir were spotted checking in on him, while Abhishek Sharma assisted him with opening a water bottle as the physio continued his assessment.
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Gill, however, returned to the nets within minutes, resuming training . His recovery eased fears of any serious injury, though the brief scare highlighted how crucial his presence is for India ahead of the much-anticipated contest.
