India captain Shreyas Iyer (Video grab)
The fixture, called the Suzuki Cup, marks the first meeting between India and Japan in men’s international cricket and has been organised as part of celebrations marking 75 years of India-Japan diplomatic relations. The match also serves as India’s final preparation before their Asian Games campaign, which begins on September 28 with a quarterfinal. BCCI has confirmed the Japan match as part of India’s build-up to the Asian Games.
The hospitality is brilliant, and yeah, I mean, it is too early to talk about it, but I’m sure that I’ve heard special things from people about Japan as a country and Tokyo as a city as well, so looking forward to explore more,” Iyer said in a video shared by BCCI . The India squad is based in Japan ahead of Tuesday’s match at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture. For India, the loss of the eve-of-match training session means the players will head into a first-ever international encounter with Japan without a final opportunity to familiarise themselves with the local conditions. That could be particularly relevant given that even captain Iyer admitted the Indian side has limited knowledge of the playing conditions and wicket. “It is beautiful. I mean, the time we landed, we saw the people very cordial, generous, and helpful in nature, which we see at back at home as well. India enter the fixture as the reigning T20 World Cup champions, while Japan are ranked 41st in the format. For Japan, meanwhile, the occasion represents a major milestone. The hosts will face one of the biggest names in international cricket on home soil, with Japan captain Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming insisting his side are not merely there to celebrate the occasion but to demonstrate what they can do.
NEW DELHI: India’s preparations for their historic T20 International against Japan were disrupted by rain and stormy conditions on Monday, with Typhoon Dujuan approaching eastern Japan and preventing the Shreyas Iyer-led side from training on the eve of the landmark fixture.