Dubai: Indian cricket fans had a Sunday to remember as they watched their favourite stars in action while preparing for the Champions Trophy. The Men in Blue landed on Saturday and didn’t wait long to hit the ground running. The presence of skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli drew hundreds of fans to the ICC Academy Grounds. After a wait of several hours, the crowd erupted into joy when the stars returned to their waiting bus to head back to their hotel rooms. Fans cheered victory slogans, shouting in excitement as they saw their heroes up close..Historic support in the UAE.Indian cricket players have enjoyed tremendous support in the UAE since the start of the CBFS Series in Sharjah in 1984. Every six months, India would face Pakistan on the hallowed turf, which has hosted the highest number of international matches. While India’s international matches in the UAE have been limited since the turn of the century, the world-class venues in Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi have regularly hosted the Indian Premier League, the richest franchise league, on multiple occasions..Power-hitting and excitement on a cloudy day.As the players got into the swing of things, it was the left-handers who truly stole the show. Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant unleashed a barrage of shots, many of which flew to the leg side, toward the waiting journalists and fans. The crowd and reporters scrambled for cover as towering sixes sailed past them, the sheer power and precision of the shots leaving everyone in awe. The drizzle arrived only after the team had boarded their bus to leave, but the energy of the practice session lingered, with each stroke from the trio sending a clear message: India was ready to take on the Champions Trophy with all guns blazing..Anticipation rises ahead of India’s opening match.The Indian team will play Bangladesh in their first match on February 20, followed by a blockbuster showdown with Pakistan on February 23, and will complete their Group B engagement against New Zealand on March 2..The International Cricket Council added to the hype on Sunday by releasing additional tickets for all three of India’s matches and the first semi-final. However, the result was the same: within minutes, there were no tickets available for the India-Pakistan contest..A royal welcome for King Kohli.The Indian team received a rousing welcome at Dubai International Airport on Saturday, while King Kohli was treated to a royal welcome upon arrival at his hotel room. In a video shared by a Kohli fan club, the superstar received a surprise when the hotel staff presented him with a tray filled with an assortment of nuts, with a ground, pitch, stumps, bat, and ball..Fans’ hopes soar after series win over England.Fans’ expectations have soared after India won the three-match One-Day International series against England. The Indian team will continue their training on Monday and will be eager to fine-tune their game before the first match at the Ring of Fire at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.