India captain Rohit Sharma netted a double with many fans adding color to the guests’ nearly four-hour net session at Adelaide Oval here Tuesday.
With strong indications of Rohit coming down in the batting order to let the in-form pair of Yashasvi Jasiwal and KL Rahul continue to open the Indian innings, the captain showed a lot of determination as he took on Pink Kookaburra.
During the session, the Indian team had four nets in the practice arena. In one of those nets, Jasiwal and Rahul took turns batting while Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli were in the second net.
It was the third net in which Rohit was hit with the inimitable Rishabh Pant while the last net was occupied by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar.
If you follow popular perception, this is India’s batting lineup from No. 1 to 8, but then the Indian skipper arrived at least an hour earlier along with Pant and other support staff.
As per his wishes, Rohit had to face a lot of sideways pitching from Nuwan Seneviratne along with the usual stuff from right-arm specialist Raghavendra and Dayanand Garani.
The skipper made a conscious effort to leave length deliveries, but whenever something short was dug in, he pulled effortlessly. For Indian fans living in Australia, the open session was like children in a candy store, considering their proximity to the nets.
Bengal’s fast bowling duo of Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar (reserve pacer) looked impressive during the session. While Mukesh moved his deliveries in the air creating a challenge of sorts for Virat Kohli, Akash asked in-depth questions to Gill, who seemed comfortable.
India’s new talent Harshit Rana also bowled with grit, which must have impressed both his “guru” Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel.
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