Ashok Namboodiri in Dubai
For years, Indian cricket has flirted with the idea of fearless cricket … spoken about it in press conferences, embodied it in flashes, but often pulled back into the comfort zone of caution. Last night in the Asia Cup, that comfort zone was torched. Against Pakistan, on a stage charged with history and emotion, India announced to the cricketing world that they now play with a different currency: a brand of fearless cricket that is rapidly becoming India’s new identity.
The first innings in the match last night was underwhelming. The fielding was sloppy; at least three catches went down at crucial junctures, and the bowlers had problems getting their length right, allowing Pakistan to notch up at least 15 more runs than they should have.
Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill walked out to bat, oblivious to the palpable tension all around the Dubai International stadium and as if they had not witnessed the first innings. Earlier on, when India was fielding, Coach Gautam Gambhir had displayed quite confidence in his boys stepping out during the break and patting them on their back and providing much needed inspiration in the huddle.
Abhishek began proceedings shifting his wight back to a short ball from Shaheen Shah Afridi and pulling it over fine. It wasn’t just about six runs; it was a declaration that India would dictate terms. Gill, elegant as ever, matched him stroke for stroke. Their partnership surged to 72 in the powerplay, the second-highest powerplay score ever by India against Pakistan in T20 internationals. By the time the scoreboard ticked over to 100 without loss in just the 9th over, Pakistan’s bowlers were scrambling. Gill finished with 47 off 28 balls at a strike rate of 168, while Sharma blazed to 74 off 39, studded with five sixes and six boundaries.
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What makes this brand of cricket “fearless” is not reckless abandon. It is confidence with clarity. The Indian batsmen didn’t slog blindly; they attacked with precision. And as the runs piled up, so did the psychological pressure on Pakistan …a reminder that modern cricket is as much about mindset as it is about mechanics. From the very first ball, it was evident that the Indian batsmen knew they were here to win. And so this brand of fearless cricket is all about freedom. It is about the intent to dominate, seize the initiative and play without the baggage of reputations. It was not that the boys were immune to the handshake gate saga and the drama around this game. Rather, it was about being fully aware and then dominating it. At the press conference, Surya capped it off with that awareness stating blithely that with the current track record, Pakistan is not worthy of being called a true rival!
This performance wasn’t just a win in the Asia Cup group stage. It was a marker in world cricket. Every team watching…from England to Australia, from South Africa to Afghanistan will have noted the shift. India is no longer playing within the boundaries of tradition; they are redrawing them.
As the tournament progresses, there will be more cricket and perhaps better opponents. But the essence of what unfolded last night will linger: a belief that Indian cricket has entered a new phase. A phase where fear is no longer in the vocabulary. Where pressure is not endured but embraced.
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