Asian Games a teaser to 2028 Los Angeles Olympics: India Women’s head coach Amol Muzumdar

It’s been a tight turnaround for the Indian side which has been living out of their suitcases since the Asia Cup. The team travelled from Dubai to New Delhi and left for Japan after just a night for its Asian Games campaign.

Updated : Sep 17, 2026 21:02 IST , NAGOYA - 4 MINS READ

India’s Asian Games campaign begins on Friday against host Japan. The eight participating teams will begin at the quarterfinal stage. The Indian squad is fresh from its Women’s Asia Cup triumph last week and will want to keep the momentum up to head back home with a second Asiad gold. | Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak

India women’s head coach Amol Muzumdar on Thursday termed the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games a “teaser” for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where women’s cricket will make its Olympic debut. India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who has repeatedly earmarked the Olympics as a milestone for the sport, also said that the team will carry its winning mindset into the Olympic cycle.

India’s Asian Games campaign begins on Friday against host Japan. The eight participating teams will begin at the quarterfinal stage. The Indian squad is fresh from its Women’s Asia Cup triumph last week and will want to keep the momentum up to head back home with a second Asiad gold.

“I think this (Asian Games) is a great teaser towards the Olympic quest for the Indian women’s team. We are getting used to certain things in the Asian Games. Just touring a different part of the cricketing world, which is Japan... never before been in this country,” said Muzumdar.

“The same would probably be true for most of us in LA. So, I guess the players would have a different kind of an experience. I think it (Asian Games) is a great learning experience for everyone of us and I’m really looking forward to this Asian Games,” added Muzumdar.

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Harmanpreet said the team is looking forward to playing good cricket at the Asian Games and carrying those learnings into the Olympics.

“I’m sure how we enjoyed the last time in China (2022 Hangzhou Asian Games), the same way we are going to enjoy here (in Nagoya). As a team, we are looking forward to the Olympics, and hopefully going with the same mindset and the same approach... these two tournaments (Asian Games and Olympics), especially as a cricketer, we are really looking forward to,” added Harmanpreet.

She said playing at Japan and Los Angeles, which are not traditional cricket hubs, would be an interesting and valuable learning experience for the team.

“The countries like Japan and LA, we haven’t seen much cricket, but as a cricketer, we are going to experience something totally different. We are not used to the conditions; we are not used to the grounds. It’s a completely different feeling,” she added.

It’s been a tight turnaround for the Indian side which has been living out of their suitcases since the Asia Cup. The team travelled from Dubai to New Delhi and left for Japan after just a night for its Asian Games campaign.

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“We spent a night in Delhi and from Delhi we have come here to Tokyo and then to Nagoya. It’s been a long journey. There has been a time difference in the three countries that I was in in the last three days. But really happy and delighted to be here,” said Muzumdar.

He added that the women’s team had faced hardly any hiccups on its journey to Nagoya, with the hotel arrangements and overall stay proving seamless, unlike several other Indian contingents who have faced delays and hours-long waits for accommodation.

“I don’t think there are any complaints from our end. The check-in and everything was absolutely spotless and we were pretty happy about it. In fact, we came in two contingents. The first one was taken care of by the officials right here in the hotel and the second one, I think the players arrived 4-5 hours later, and I think it was as smooth as camping,” said Muzumdar.

Muzumdar said India would settle for nothing less than gold, with the team always striving to compete hard and play for the top prize.