Players have nothing in mind apart from cricket: Kotak

Amidst calls for boycott of the Asia Cup contest between India and Pakistan on Sunday from some sections of the Indian public, Sitanshu Kotak, the batting coach of the national team, said that the job of the cricketers is to focus on the game. While hostility is prevalent on both sides of the border even in calmer times, the four-day military conflict in May that followed a terror attack in Pahalgam has exacerbated the tension in recent months.

“Once we are here to play, I think players are focused on playing cricket,” Kotak told the media contingent on Friday. “I personally don’t think they have anything in mind apart from playing cricket. And that’s what we focus on.”

When it emerged in July that this year’s Asia Cup will go ahead as planned in the United Arab Emirates, polarised opinions on sporting ties between the arch-rivals began trickling in. But the sports ministry made it clear in the lead-up to the Asia Cup that India will continue to engage in multi-nation tournaments featuring Pakistan, but not take part in any bilateral meetings.

At a time like this, the “outside noise” that players often speak about can be deafening.

“For players and for us, once BCCI tells us and it is aligned with the government, we are here to prepare and we are here to play. It will be a competitive game. India versus Pakistan is always a competitive game. So, we rather focus on that,” said the 52-year-old.

Ahead of the tournament, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav had been asked whether he would have to keep his players in check during the clash. “Aggression is always there when we take the field. And without aggression, I don’t think you can play this sport. I’m very excited to take the field on the frontfoot,” he had said.