Asia Cup 2025 triumph: Gambhir, Kuldeep land in Ahmedabad, accorded hero’s welcome

Ahmedabad: India’s cricket heroes returned home to a rapturous reception on Tuesday as head coach Gautam Gambhir and spinner Kuldeep Yadav landed in Ahmedabad from Dubai.

The duo arrived a day after India clinched the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets in a thrilling final at the Dubai International Stadium.

The celebrations in Ahmedabad were spontaneous and electric, with fans taking to the streets and social media buzzing with images and videos capturing the excitement. The supporters expressed their pride in India’s performance on an international stage, celebrating both the team’s skill and spirit as the team ended the tournament unbeaten, winning all seven matches.

Amid the euphoria, the team’s focus quickly shifted to the next challenge — the first Test of the two-match series against the West Indies, which will be held at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium here from October 2.

While the T20 triumph provides momentum, the players and coaching staff are already preparing for the longer format, reflecting India’s commitment to excellence across all forms of the game.

Meanwhile, the West Indies team has already arrived in Ahmedabad for the series. The second Test will be played at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium from October 10. The upcoming matches are part of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, making the series a key event for both sides.

As Ahmedabad basks in post-Asia Cup euphoria, fans and players alike are eagerly anticipating the next chapter in India’s cricketing journey, hoping the hosts carry their winning momentum into the Test arena.

India squad for the West Indies series: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N Jagadeesan (wk), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kuldeep Yadav.

–IANS