Shreyas Iyer: Never thought I would be playing in Japan

India playing a bilateral T20 in Japan shows cricket has been successful in expanding into unchartered territories, said their skipper Shreyas Iyer on Monday ahead of the historic game against the host nation.

India will play Japan in Sano for the first international fixture between the two nations, launching the celebration for 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two Asian countries.

India arrived here on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s game before heading to Nagoya for the Asia Games.

It is unusual for Indian cricketers to visit a country like Japan where cricket remains on the margins.

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“No, I never thought about it, but yes, I mean, cricket is picking up in every country now, and all the teams are becoming dominant in their own ways, so I’m sure this will be an exciting match as well tomorrow,” said Iyer.

Incessant rain meant India had to cancel their training session before the game. The match will be held in Sano, roughly 100 kms from Tokyo.

“It’s beautiful. The time we landed, we saw the people, very cordial, generous, and helpful in nature, which we see it back at home as well. The hospitality is brilliant,” said Iyer talking about his first impressions of Japan.

“It’s too early to talk about it (only been a day), but I’ve heard special things from people about Japan as a country and Tokyo as a city as well, so looking forward to explore more.” Iyer and the players are looking forward to the on field action weather permitting.

“Yes, it is going to be a thrilling and exciting match for us. This is the first time we will be playing Japan, and I don’t know much about the conditions, the wicket, but looking forward to have a great match.

“I saw a little bit of reels going here and there, but yes, we will be doing our studies and knowing about the players more, and super excited for the game tomorrow. Hopefully it doesn’t rain, and all the viewers and the spectators who will be coming to the stadium will get a nice competitive game,” said Iyer.

It has been a “different” experience for Iyer and the players thus far in a country known for its natural beauty and remarkable efficiency.

“Yes, definitely it’s completely different from what we’ve been used to doing in terms of going to Australia, England, New Zealand.

“It’s our very first time, and the culture and the people are very different in terms of how they are in terms of discipline. I’m someone who loves to embrace new culture and get used to the vibe and the accommodation as quickly as possible, so this is a new challenge for us,” said the captain.

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The 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryvanshi inevitably was mentioned in the media interaction when the questions moved to the success of the IPL.

“I feel that it’s a great platform for them to showcase their talent. Recently there is a youngster in our team, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, he came up the ranks through IPL and that’s basically a solid platform for everyone who is seeking to showcase their talent and come up the ranks.

“I feel that it’s also a great platform to come into the Indian team because whenever you perform in the IPL, the eyes are always on you and you get recognized pretty quick,” he added.