Asia Cup 2025: How India mastered Dubai’s tricky fielding conditions

Dubai: India’s fielders have turned heads in the ongoing Asia Cup with sharp reflexes and clean catching, particularly in the high-pressure clash against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Despite the humidity and tricky lighting, the team not only held on to difficult chances but made them look effortless.

India's fielding coach T Dilip shed light on the science behind high catching in Dubai. Speaking on the team’s official Instagram, he said the stadium’s floodlight setup, often called the “ring of fire,” creates unusual problems compared to traditional pole lights.

“One of the challenges, especially on the boundary line, is losing sight of the ball for a split second when it passes through the lights,” Dilip explained. “Humidity and air density also affect the drop and depth perception of high catches, making them different from other venues.”

He noted that such conditions can cause panic. “We’ve always been taught to keep our eyes on the ball. But when you lose sight for even a moment, you tend to panic,” he said.

To counter these issues, India designed practice drills that replicated real-match challenges. Dilip revealed that during boundary catching drills, players were trained to briefly shift their eyes away from the ball — similar to what happens in actual games.

“If you take 5–6 catches like that, players realise there’s still enough time to react even if they lose sight for a split second,” he said. “But what really made a difference against Pakistan was the speed at which our players moved under the ball. Footwork was as important as hand skills.”

The coach stressed the role of awareness in T20 cricket, especially under Dubai’s demanding conditions. “It’s all about how players are switched on at that moment and how they respond to the ball in a high-intensity environment,” he said.

India will play Oman in their final Group A match on Friday at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium, a venue with different dynamics from Dubai. They will then return to Dubai on Sunday for a high-stakes Super Fours clash against Pakistan.