India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match boycott talk reaches dressing room, players ‘shaken’

The clash between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 has taken a dramatic turn off the field, with a social media campaign calling for a boycott of the match reportedly affecting players in the dressing room.

According to reports in The Times of India, several players, including Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill, are ‘shaken’ by the rising online backlash ahead of today’s match.

The report claims that some players even held a conversation with head coach Gautam Gambhir and the support staff to address their concerns and get guidance on how to mentally navigate the pressure.

The emotional sensitivity in the dressing room became evident as the management opted to send assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate to the match press conference on Saturday. Ideally, either the head coach or team captain should have attended the press conference.

Addressing the media, Ten Doeschate said, “Yes, I think they will (carry emotions onto the field.) It is a very sensitive issue. I have no doubt the players share the compassion and feelings of the vast majority of the Indian public.”

He also revealed the message from Gambhir to the players ahead of the clash: “Gauti’s message has just been very professional about not worrying about things that are not in our control. Just trying to be emotionless when approaching the cricket side of things.”