National selectors have recruited three players as net bowlers to accompany the Indian cricket contingent currently heading to Japan. The group includes
- Rasikh Salam Dar (26), representing Jammu & Kashmir and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
- Vicky Ostwal (24), representing Maharashtra and Delhi Capitals.
- Kartik Tyagi (25), representing Uttar Pradesh and Kolkata Knight Riders.
These players departed New Delhi for Tokyo on the night of Saturday, September 19, to support the Shreyas Iyer-led squad. The team is scheduled to hold a practice session at the Sano International Stadium on September 21, followed by a bilateral T20I match against Japan the next day. The squad will remain in Sano before heading to Nagoya for the Asian Games, where their opening match is slated for September 28. The support of these three bowlers is particularly critical as the main side currently comprises only 14 members, following the withdrawal of Nitish Kumar Reddy to join the ODI squad.
Separately, the 15-member Indian ODI side, led by captain Shubman Gill, is set to report in Trivandrum on September 23 for their home series against the West Indies. The opening ODI of this series is scheduled for September 27, with subsequent matches taking place in Guwahati on September 30 and New Chandigarh on October 3. A five-match T20I series will conclude the tour, beginning in Lucknow on October 6. The report also notes that the three additional members will be needed for the practice sessions, during the stay in Sano.
