Cricket Editorial IND vs SA Test 2025 India vs South Africa Indian Cricket

GG–Sujan Mukherjee in Spotlight at India’s First Optional Practice Session at Eden Gardens

November 11, 2025
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Pitch being prepared at the Eden Gardens (Image: Debasis Sen)

A pleasant morning in Kolkata marked the Indian team’s return to Test cricket after a white-ball series in Australia. India will face World Test Champions South Africa in a two-match Test series. Skipper Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Sai Sudharsan, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy took part in the first optional practice session ahead of the series. Here are the highlights:

  • Gautam Gambhir has a long chat with Sujan Mukherjee

The coaches were the first to arrive on the field, and head coach Gautam Gambhir immediately signalled Sitanshu Kotak to have a look at the pitch. Joined by bowling coach Morne Morkel, the three members of the Indian management spent about 10 minutes inspecting the surface, with Gambhir later staying back to have a long chat with pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee.

Gautam Gambhir at the Eden Gardens (Image: Debasis Sen)

  • Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Yashasvi Jaiswal bat in the nets

Skipper Shubman Gill, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, and India’s No. 3 in England, Sai Sudharsan, began their routine practice session. Sai had an extended throwdown session at the centre wicket before being joined by the head coach. The two worked on minute technical aspects of Sudharsan’s batting, particularly his leg-side play.

Gill started with throwdowns and then moved to face the fast bowlers. As always, the skipper looked in fine touch and batted for close to two hours in the nets. Jaiswal went straight into the nets, first facing pace before moving to the adjacent one, where Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja were bowling under Gambhir’s watchful eye.

  • Jasprit Bumrah keeps it light

India’s pace spearhead, often the subject of the “workload management” debate, kept things light, as he usually does on match day minus three. The fast bowler, part of India’s squad for the white-ball series, landed in Kolkata the day before yesterday. After spending about half an hour on the field warming up and bowling with a short run-up, Bumrah returned to the dressing room. He was spotted with strapping on his right knee but later returned to the centre wicket for some spot bowling, overseen by the bowling and head coach.

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