Shreyas Iyer opens up on playing in the Asian Games for the first time: 'We want to come back triumphant'

India captain Shreyas Iyer emphasizes focus on Afghanistan as India prepares for upcoming Asian Games.

India is all set to take on Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series starting on September 13 (Sunday). This will be ideal preparation for the Men in Blue as they take the field for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in the quarter-final on September 28. This is also a chance for India to regain the gold medal that they won in the Asian Games 2022. This is also the first time that Shreyas Iyer will be leading India at a major tournament.

New Delhi: India's captain Shreyas Iyer addresses a press conference ahead of the first T20I cricket match of a series between India and Afghanistan, in New Delhi, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan) (PTI09_12_2026_000329A) (PTI)

Speaking at the pre-match press conference before the 1st T20I vs Afghanistan, Shreyas Iyer said that it would be an exciting tournament for them as they would get to rub shoulders with some of the best Indian players across several disciplines and sports.

"It is definitely an exciting time for me and also for the team because it's going to be my first time, and there are a couple of players who have already been in the Asian Games, last Asian Games. So yeah, exciting times. The first match we are going to play is against Japan, so that is going to be a historic one. And sharing a relationship with the hockey players and other Olympic players, athletes who would be there along with us, definitely would be a great interaction, and we would be eagerly waiting to go there and interact with them and know what their mindset is; probably go to one of the games and cheer for them as well. So yes, we are going as a whole nation and then definitely we want to see to it that we come back triumphant," Iyer said.

'We will go game by game'

Deep Dive

What is Shreyas Iyer's perspective on leading India at the Asian Games for the first time?

How does Shreyas Iyer plan to approach the matches leading up to the Asian Games?

What challenges does Shreyas Iyer face in selecting the opening batters for the T20I series against Afghanistan?

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However, Shreyas Iyer is taking one game at a time, and before moving towards the Asian Games, he has his sights set on the series against Afghanistan.

"See, we will go game by game; we don't have to think too far ahead. We are thinking about the first game; we know that Afghanistan is a nice team, and our preparation has also been promising for the last couple of days. Players are in great shape and mindset. So we have to stay in the present and see to it that we deliver when the time comes. And leading up to the Asian Games, we have got a great opportunity to play against a very quality side. So, looking for a great competition and yes, fingers crossed, we will deliver to the best of our abilities," the India T20I captain further went on to say.