![Team India won Asian Games 2023 gold medal on this day [Source: @BCCI/x.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1759833964062_OTDin2023indiaAsianGamesgoldmedalwin.jpg?type=hq)
Team India won Asian Games 2023 gold medal on this day [Source: @BCCI/x.com]
October 7, 2023, is a date etched in Indian cricket’s golden book. On this day, the Men in Blue, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, clinched India’s first-ever Asian Games gold medal in men’s cricket.
India’s young brigade seized Asian Games gold
It wasn’t the fairytale finish anyone expected as rain cut the final short after 18.2 overs but destiny had already played its hand. India, being the higher-seeded team, were declared the winners. A rather anti-climactic end to a thrilling campaign but the gold glittered all the same.
As the drizzle fell over the Zhejiang University of Technology Cricket Field in Hangzhou, India’s young guns stood with smiles because it wasn’t just about the medal; it was
Gaikwad’s golden run
From the very start, Ruturaj Gaikwad led his young unit with calmness that belied his age. The squad wasn’t the usual star-studded Indian lineup but it had heart, flamboyance and a hunger to prove a point. Gaikwad’s men cruised through the knockouts as they trounced Nepal in the quarter-final and then Bangladesh in the semi-final.
In the final, Gaikwad opted to bowl first, reading the overcast conditions. His bowlers responded with precision and purpose. Arshdeep Singh swung it both ways, Shivam Dube hit the deck hard and Ravi Bishnoi’s googlies kept the Afghans guessing. Every over felt like a squeeze as Afghanistan were gasping for air at 52/5 halfway through.
Bishnoi weaves his magic
If there was one man who spun a web around Afghanistan’s middle order, it was Ravi Bishnoi. He bowled like a man possessed with four overs, one wicket and just 12 runs. His disguised googly that sent Afsar Zazai’s stumps flying was a thing of beauty.
Add to that Arshdeep’s early breakthroughs, Dube’s golden arm and India had Afghanistan cornered. But just when things started to get interesting, the heavens opened up.
Gulbadin Naib and Shahidullah were stitching a decent stand: 60 runs off 45 balls but it all ended with rain washing away their hopes. Afghanistan finished at 112/5 in 18.2 overs and that was that.
A gold earned, not gifted
Some called it luck while others called it timing. But the truth is, India earned that medal. They dominated throughout the tournament and outplayed every opponent with all-round efficiency. From Yashasvi Jaiswal’s explosive hundred vs Nepal to Rinku Singh’s finishing touches, everyone chipped in when it mattered. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s excellent leadership also stood out.
Notably, India’s Asian Games gold medal win in 2023 showed that their bench strength could win big even without their senior superstars. Rain might have dampened the field that day but it could not dull the glow of what was achieved.
