Subhayan Chakraborty from Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram came alive with the vibrant energy of cricket, as the Indian team intensified its preparations ahead of the World Cup warm-up match against the Netherlands, to be played at the enchanting Greenfield International Stadium on Tuesday (October 3). On a balmy Monday afternoon, the Men in Blue assembled at the St Xavier’s College Cricket Ground for an eventful training session.
The training ground has an interesting backdrop. There is a massive painting of Sanju Samson bearing the inscription “Super Samson.” This striking visual is a reminder of the local hero’s absence from the World Cup squad, a decision that has sparked a debate among enthusiasts, especially in Kerala.
The likes of Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Shreyas Iyer were absent from the optional session. Virat Kohli is yet to join the squad here, leaving fans and scribes eagerly awaiting updates on his participation in Tuesday’s match. This is India’s final warm-up match. The first one against England in Guwahati was washed out.
Training commenced with zeal and Ishan Kishan was the first to step into the nets after the warm-up drills. Shubman Gill took the adjacent net soon after. KL Rahul began with a wicket-keeping session against spin throw-downs, spending a solid 15 minutes to refine his skills behind the stumps.
Ishan faced pace throw-downs, while Gill took on the formidable duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. The spinners were joined by Shardul Thakur, followed by Jasprit Bumrah.
After 15 minutes of rigorous batting, Gill and Ishan switched nets. The intensity rose further when Mohammed Siraj started bowling at full throttle to Ishan. After a fruitful stint, Ishan and Gill concluded their net practice.
Suryakumar Yadav took the third net, confronting local bowlers — one left-arm orthodox and a leggie. His training was punctuated with audacious helicopter shots and different types of sweeps. After spending 15 minutes in the net, he took a short break but returned soon to resume his session.
Rahul, meanwhile, took on Siraj and Ashwin. He initially lobbed a catch back to the off-spinner but replied emphatically with a huge six over the mid-wicket region. Ashwin kept on mixing his deliveries, showcasing his variety and extravagant skills with the ball.
The bowlers also got their chance with the bat. Ashwin and Jadeja batted towards the end of the session, followed by Shardul and Kuldeep Yadav. Their focus was on lofted shots and power-hitting, with Ashwin paying special attention to sweeps and reverse sweeps. Shardul showcased his prowess with a few thunderous hits.
The excitement was palpable, as a few fans climbed the walls of an adjoining church to catch a glimpse of their favourite players. Some others gathered outside the gate to see the players walk towards the team bus.
They chanted “India, India”, something which is going to be heard a lot more over the next few weeks.