India add three net bowlers for Japan trip and Asian Games prep

India have strengthened their touring resources ahead of a busy stretch by adding three young bowlers as unofficial members of the Japan-bound contingent. Rasikh Salam Dar, Vicky Ostwal and Kartik Tyagi have been attached as net bowlers to support the Shreyas Iyer-led side for the upcoming bilateral T20I against Japan and the Asian Games campaign.

The move gives the squad additional bowling options in training, especially as India prepare for conditions in Sano and later Nagoya. The trio is expected to travel with the team and assist during practice sessions, offering variety in the nets as the main group fine-tunes its plans for two important assignments.

Three extra bowlers added for India’s Japan leg

Rasikh Salam Dar, who has previously represented Jammu & Kashmir and now plays for Baroda and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is among the additions. He is joined by Maharashtra’s Vicky Ostwal, another RCB player, and Uttar Pradesh pacer Kartik Tyagi, who is part of the Kolkata Knight Riders setup.

All three are believed to have left New Delhi for Tokyo on Saturday night, with the India squad set to begin its training routine in Japan soon after arrival. The team is scheduled for a practice session at Sano International Stadium on September 21, before facing the home side in the bilateral fixture the following day.

Why the additions matter

The timing is significant because India’s core squad has been trimmed to 14 members after Nitish Kumar Reddy was withdrawn from the Asian Games setup and added to the ODI squad for the home series against the West Indies. That leaves the travelling group with fewer bowling resources in training, making the presence of the three net bowlers especially useful.

A team insider’s view of such arrangements is often simple: the more varied the net attack, the better the preparation. The added bowlers can simulate different angles, lengths and pace options, allowing batters to face a wider range of deliveries before competitive matches begin.

Asian Games schedule begins to take shape

After the Japan fixture, India are expected to remain in Sano for a few more days before heading to Nagoya for the Asian Games. Their first match at the event is scheduled for September 28, and the build-up window in Japan will now be used to sharpen combinations and assess player readiness.

For a squad balancing immediate competition and a longer multi-game event, every practice session carries value. The extra bowlers should help the management maintain intensity in training without overworking the main squad members, which can be a crucial detail in tournament preparation.

ODI squad also set to assemble soon

Meanwhile, another Indian group is preparing for its own challenge. The 15-member Shubman Gill-captained ODI squad has been asked to report in Trivandrum on September 23 for the three-match series against West Indies.

The first ODI will be played on September 27, followed by matches in Guwahati on September 30 and New Chandigarh on October 3. That series will then flow into a five-match T20I contest beginning in Lucknow on October 6, making this a tightly packed international window for Indian cricket.

With multiple squads moving in different directions at once, the selection and support structure is being managed carefully. The addition of Rasikh Salam Dar, Vicky Ostwal and Kartik Tyagi may not alter the final XI directly, but it does underline how seriously India are treating their build-up.

In modern cricket, preparation is often decided as much in the practice nets as in the middle. For India, these extra hands could provide the ideal match-up challenge before the pressure of Asian Games action begins.