Team India, on Tuesday, conducted their first training session at the Optus Stadium in Perth as the opening Test of the five-match series, starting on November 22, drew closer. The dome-shaped stadium could be intimidating, as seen through the eyes of Devdutt Padikkal, who was asked to stay back with the Indian team after his assignment with the ‘A’ side. Among the players, the southpaw was the first to walk into the hallowed ground, taking a 360-degree view of the stadium as his eyes lit up in wonder.
Steadily, the coaching staff and a few players, including Virat Kohli and captain for the Perth Test, Jasprit Bumrah, emerged from the tunnel. Along with head coach Gautam Gambhir and a couple of coaching staff members, Kohli walked straight towards the pitch where the curator was working with a heavy roller. Gambhir stood at the top of the pitch with his arms crossed as Kohli, who scored a fighting 123 off 257 balls, perhaps one of his finest Test centuries, the last time India played here in 2018, took a quick look.
Both Gambhir and Kohli had a brief word with the curator before the focus shifted to warm-ups and some juggling with a football. After 15 minutes, the team gathered for a team huddle addressed by fielding coach T Dilip. The players were then divided into different groups for fielding drills, which mostly involved single-arm picking up and throwing. Kohli was in fun mode, sledging the opposition team led by KL Rahul after winning the throwing session.
The next activity was slip catching, organised by T Dilip. Padikkal stood at first slip, Kohli at second, KL Rahul at third, Yashasvi Jaiswal at fourth, and Dhruv Jurel at gully. This lasted for about an hour, with Kohli staying back for an extra half hour to grab a few more catches. A one-handed flying catch by Padikkal and a diving catch by Kohli were highlights of the session, after which all the players headed towards the nets located right outside the Optus Stadium.
A total of four nets with green tops awaited the players. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, the likely opening pair for the Perth Test, took charge in the first net. The second net was occupied by possible numbers three and four, Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli. At the third net stood Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel, possibly batting at positions five and six, and the fourth net was held by Sarfaraz Khan and Ravindra Jadeja.
The batters interchanged after 15-minute stints, facing a variety of bowlers. While Jaiswal and Rahul faced the new-ball from Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, and Prasidh Krishna. Kohli and Padikkal took on Nitish Kumar Reddy, Navdeep Saini, and a local fast bowler with a semi-new ball. Pant and Jurel’s practice was managed by throwdown specialists – Dayanand Garani, Raghu, and Nuwan. Sarfaraz and Jadeja faced Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar, and throwdowns from Abhishek Nayar.
As the ball kicked off the surface, the focus was more on executing back-foot strokes, including cuts and punches. Rahul and Jaiswal emphasised leaving the ball and ensuring they kept a check on the off-stump. Akashdeep and Mukesh kept delivering in the channel, while Krishna tested them with short-pitched deliveries.
Kohli and Padikkal concentrated on cuts, pulls, and backfoot punches. The backfoot cut isn’t traditionally one of Kohli’s strengths, but he has been making a concerted effort to improve this aspect for his career in the longest format, especially with India in a dire situation.
Kohli’s intensity was unmatched as he kept Nitish, Saini, and occasionally Krishna on their toes with some cracking strokes. There were a few misses, but that’s normal in net sessions. A booming sound from a supremely timed cover drive off Kohli’s bat stood out. Meanwhile, Pant and Jurel were more focused on their defence.
However, Jurel looked in crisp touch, nailing some upper-cuts and a few slogs against the pacers after switching nets. He was arguably India’s best batter of the day and looks set to make his presence felt in the Perth Test, possibly at number six.
After the main batters, players like Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj had brief batting practice. Overall, it was an intense session for the Indian team, as they continued training despite a strong drizzle, fine-tuning their game before facing a fiery Australian side.