Subhayan Chakraborty in Guwahati
As the cricketing world eagerly awaits the start of the ODI World Cup 2023, the Indian cricket team has initiated its preparations with an optional training session at the Amingaon Cricket Stadium. The practice took place on Friday, just a day before their first official warm-up match against England, the defending champions, scheduled to be played at the ACA Cricket Stadium in Barsapara, Guwahati on Saturday.
Despite landing in Guwahati on Thursday evening, the majority of the Indian players chose to skip the optional training session. Only four players – namely Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, and Shardul Thakur – along with Rahul Dravid, the head coach, and a few support staff members decided to utilise the opportunity to hone their skills.
Fans and media had gathered in anticipation at Amingaon Cricket Stadium, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite cricket stars. However, they were left disappointed as key figures like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the captain, did not participate in the optional session. Despite the absence of some marquee players, the attendees enthusiastically welcomed the players with loud cheers amidst stringent security measures and sweltering heat outside the ground.
The practice session began with Gill and Kishan, who took throwdowns from the support staff and faced a few local net bowlers present at the venue. Gill, who had arrived in Guwahati in the early hours of Friday, displayed his dedication by engaging in an intense net session. Meanwhile, Kishan looked in good form before yielding the nets to Ashwin and Shardul.
Ashwin, who replaced the injured Axar Patel in the World Cup squad, faced some spin bowled by the support staff before receiving throwdowns. In an intriguing twist, he then returned to the nets, this time with the ball in his hand. For approximately 40 minutes, Ashwin honed his bowling skills, targeting a single stump, under the watchful eyes of bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, as he aspires to make a significant impact in what will be his third ODI World Cup.
Despite a gruelling 40-hour journey to the northeastern city of Guwahati, a few members of the England team also participated in a practice session after landing early on Friday.
After the recent three-match ODI series against Australia, most of the Indian players opted for rest and chose to spend their time at the hotel gym, avoiding the outdoor session in scorching-hot and humid conditions.