IND vs ENG: Rohit Sharma does a match-simulation in the nets ahead of the ODI series opener | Cricket News
Time in India. com in Birmingham: Before he was stuffed with ‘Mumbai Cha Raja‘ chants outside the Edgbaston Cricket Ground, former Indian captain Rohit Sharma had a long stint in the sun on Sunday. While seven members of the ODI squad trained for the second day running ahead of the series opener on July 14, the 39-year-old’s nearly one-hour batting session came first.Rohit started the two-hour session with fielding drills before moving to the nets for the batting activity. Aided by fielding coach T Dilip, Rohit spent ample time honing in on the long days in the sun.Ace ODI captain Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul continued their own long batting stints in the nets, Rohit went to the sidelines and chatted with the rest of the Indian contingent, including Kuldeep Yadavwaiting for his turn to bat.
Rohit Sharma trains in Birmingham. (Image courtesy: Tanuj Lakhina)
When three of the batters got out, Rohit crossed to occupy the net next to Gurnoor Brar. After looking uncomfortable in the first set of deliveries, the ex-India skipper decided to switch ends.Seeing the fine touch after this move, Rohit asked the support staff for another change. With spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule involved in the practice session, Indian throwdown specialists — Nuwan Senaviratne, Dayanand Garani and Raghavendra aka Raghu — worked with the Edgbaston ground crew to remove the net webbing.Rohit then spent the next half an hour playing in an open-net match simulation format. With the fielders placed to his right on the off side, Rohit broke the gap several times and even sent the security team rushing to retrieve a ball that had crept under the outside fences.Looking more and more satisfied with his showing as things progressed, Rohit called off his batting session at quarter-past-four, three hours after the contingent arrived at Edgbaston.Kohli in actionEarlier, the 37-year-old Virat Kohli faced some sharp, painful deliveries from Jasprit BumrahBrar and a young seamer from a local club in Birmingham.
Virat Kohli trained first in the first ODI. (Image courtesy: Tanuj Lakhina)
Having spent most of his opening batting session on Saturday tackling spin, Kohli began Sunday’s session by facing the seam bowlers as KL Rahul and Gill shifted responsibilities alongside him.In the high-intensity batting session, Kohli looked nervous against the seamers before switching to the spinners and finding himself.For the second day of running, after his practice session, Kohli stood on the sidelines and shared his learnings. If it’s Shubman Gill on Saturday, it’s Brar’s turn on Sunday. The 26-year-old seamer asked for tips and the ‘King’ was more than willing to pass on the wisdom.The team, including members of the T20I squad who are in Southampton for the fifth T20I, will undergo their final practice session on Monday (July 13) before the series begins the following day. The three-match series moves to Cardiff (July 16) and London (July 19).
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