Rain stalks Shreyas Iyer's India as Afghanistan quarterfinal looms at Asian Games 2026

Umbrellas over bats: India's race against the weather

Rain has been the only constant for the Indian men's cricket team since they landed in Tokyo a week ago, and it has followed them all the way to Nagoya. In Nisshin, where the team is preparing for their Asian Games 2026 title defence, the skies have refused to clear — and even if a single ball is not bowled, India will surprisingly retain the gold they won on debut at the previous edition. With the weather what it is, that scenario simply cannot be ruled out.

Aside from a couple of indoor net sessions, the players have arguably held an umbrella more often than a bat or a ball. They arrived in Nagoya under a steady drizzle on Saturday afternoon, and their practice session on Sunday was halted midway by rain once again. With the venue being a makeshift cricket stadium, there are no indoor facilities for the squad to fall back on.

'We can't use rain as an excuse'

Skipper Shreyas Iyer, however, is refusing to dwell on the conditions. "There is rain, but we can't use that as an excuse. Such hurdles will keep coming. Irrespective of the situation, we are mentally prepared (to play). We got a decent warm-up and a little practice (before the rain). We will try to adapt as soon as possible to the wicket," he said.

India's caution comes with good reason. In their most recent outing — a five-over, rain-truncated contest against Japan — India managed 32/4 and scrapped through with a two-run margin. "We can't take any team in the Asian Games lightly because the wicket here cannot be set to a particular standard. It will be challenging and difficult for every team," Iyer added, pointing to that near-miss as evidence.

Afghanistan: a second-string side with nothing to lose

Monday's quarterfinal at Korogi Sports Park pits India against Afghanistan, who arrive on the back of a mixed campaign. They enjoyed an easy outing against hosts Japan in their opener but were handed a five-wicket defeat by Nepal on Friday. The results reflect the fact that Afghanistan are fielding a second-string squad at the tournament, with skipper Darwish Rasooli and Abdollah Ahmadzai the only players in the group from the side that lost 0-3 to India in a recent bilateral series.

On paper, a full-strength Indian team against a rookie Afghan side looks like a mismatch. But India, fresh from their own near-collapse against Japan, will know better than to take the Afghans lightly, especially on a wicket that defies standard expectations.

Bumrah call and the wait for blue skies

One interesting selection question hangs over the contest: whether India risk playing Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the match against Japan. Coming back from injury and with the outfield far from ideal, the call is a delicate one for the think-tank.

While the stage is set for India's title defence, the team can only hope the rain stays away — particularly for the scores of Indian fans planning to travel from across Japan to root for the men in blue.