Goa, Sept. 18 -- Vinay Iyer's cricket journey has taken him from the early-morning maidans of Mumbai to the dugout of Japan's national women's team, where he found himself preparing to coach against India at the 2026 Asian Games.

The 41-year-old former Mumbai club cricketer was set to face a unique challenge in Aichi-Nagoya, with Japan drawn against India in the women's cricket quarter-final. For Iyer, the occasion carried a strong personal connection because his own cricketing journey began in Mumbai and Thane.

As a young player, Iyer would leave home on a 5.15am bus, travel to Thane railway station and then take a train into Mumbai to reach the Police Gymkhana at Charni Road by 7.15am for practice. Cricket was followed by college and,...