Indian captain Shreyas Iyer shared his thoughts about playing cricket in Japan, ahead of the historic first-ever international T20I game between the two sides. This game will be played on September 22, 2026, at the Sano International Cricket Ground.
This game will be played in celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two Asian countries. India arrived here on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s game before heading to Nagoya for the Asia Games.
“No, I never thought about it, but yes, I mean, cricket is picking up in every country now, and all the teams are becoming dominant in their own ways, so I’m sure this will be an exciting match as well tomorrow,” Iyer was quoted as saying by PTI.
Continuous rainfall forced India to call off the training camp before the match. The match would take place in Sano, which is about 100 kilometers away from Tokyo. India would start playing the Asian Games 2026 in the second quarterfinal match on 28th September.
“It’s beautiful. The time we landed, we saw the people, very cordial, generous, and helpful in nature, which we see back at home as well. The hospitality is brilliant. It’s too early to talk about it (only been a day), but I’ve heard special things from people about Japan as a country and Tokyo as a city as well, so I'm looking forward to exploring more,” Iyer said about his first impressions of Japan.
Iyer and the players are looking forward to the on-field action, weather permitting.
“Yes, it is going to be a thrilling and exciting match for us. This is the first time we will be playing Japan, and I don’t know much about the conditions or the wicket, but I am looking forward to having a great match.
I saw a little bit of reels going here and there, but yes, we will be doing our studies and knowing about the players more, and we are super excited for the game tomorrow. Hopefully it doesn’t rain, and all the viewers and the spectators who will be coming to the stadium will get a nice competitive game,” said Iyer.
Iyer admitted that Japan has been a different experience for the players in the country known for its natural beauty and remarkable efficiency.
“Yes, definitely. It's completely different from what we’ve been used to doing in terms of going to Australia, England, and New Zealand. It’s our very first time, and the culture and the people are very different in terms of how they are in terms of discipline. I’m someone who loves to embrace new culture and get used to the vibe and the accommodation as quickly as possible, so this is a new challenge for us,” he added.
The media also asked about the teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as well.
“I feel that it’s a great platform for them to showcase their talent. Recently, there is a youngster in our team, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi; he came up the ranks through IPL, and that’s basically a solid platform for everyone who is seeking to showcase their talent and come up the ranks.
I feel that it’s also a great platform to come into the Indian team because whenever you perform in the IPL, the eyes are always on you and you get recognized pretty quickly,” he added.
(PTI inputs)
