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India's Test contingent share joy of joining squad on social media
NEWS
Follow UsLed by skipper Virat Kohli, Indian team underwent first net session in Durham
Virat Kohli and Co. underwent an extensive net session at the Durham County Cricket Club on Saturday, kick-starting their preparations for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. The team was on a 20-day break post the World Test Championship final which they lost on the extended sixth day's play on June 23 against New Zealand.
The squad accumulated in London from where they underwent a five-hour bus journey to reach Durham. They will take on a County Select XI in a three-day warm-up at the venue.
While the BCCI posted a video of the team's warm-up session yesterday, the pictures and videos circulating on social media platforms today suggest the players picked up their cricketing gears on Saturday to hit the nets.
The BCCI shared snapshots of the team's bowlers with pacers Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin seen training hard ahead of their warm-up game.
Ashwin was the only player in the Indian squad who played cricket during the 20-day leave period. He represented Surrey for one County game and picked a six-wicket haul.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara looked thrilled to be back in the nets. Kohli's tweet could make any individual stuck in a cubicle jealous.
Rohit, on the other hand, cherished the "feel" of hitting the ball from the middle of the bat. In English, his tweet can be translated to, "A bat in hand and the racing the ball away from the middle of it has a different feel."
Pujara had an indifferent outing in the WTC final but India's number three has his focus intact as he aim to counter his next challenge.
The Test series is one of India's sternest challenge of late. India have not won a test series in England since 2007 and had horror tours in 2011 and 2014. Meanwhile, in 2018, they created opportunities but fell behind in terms of winning the important moments.
On top of that, England is one of the toughest places to bat in Test cricket right now and the Indian batsmen will be tasked to the moving ball when they stand up to the likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer. Hence, the warm-up match against the County Select XI will be crucial. The five-match Test series starts on August 4, at Trent Bridge.
Earlier this week, explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and the team's throwdown specialist Dayanand Garani tested positive for COVID-19. Garani's positive report came on Thursday and other members of the India squad and the coaching staff, who were in contact with him, were isolated after that.
Bowling coach Bharath Arun, reserve wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and India's standby opener Abhimanyu Easwaran are the three members of the Indian contingent in UK who have been isolated. All three have tested negative for the virus, but have to follow the UK Government's Health Safety Protocol and stay in isolation.
Pant, Garani, Arun, Saha, and Easwaran are all in London and did not travel with the rest of the Indian contingent to Durham.
Both Pant and Saha are set to miss the practice, leaving Rahul to don the big gloves against Combined Counties.
Besides nets, the Indian players also underwent strength and mobility sessions. Ajinkya Rahane posted a picture on Instagram while running across the outfield.
Cover Image Credits: BCCI