India batter Virat Kohli left the fans in splits with his funny run in the nets during India’s training session ahead of their Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign opener against Australia. With his pads on, Kohli ran in a hilarious manner, reminding fans of his similar funny run during the inconsequential Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match against Bangladesh in which he served as the ‘water boy’. Kohli also had some fun with Jasprit Bumrah in the nets. Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami were also seen in the video.
Watch it here:
Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah having fun in the practice session. pic.twitter.com/DlF1DuUueC
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 6, 2023
Check out the reactions of the fans here:
Same Energy pic.twitter.com/dtxRyYDBbf
— BB (@BiggBoss1314) October 6, 2023
— Suresh Parmar (@iamSureshParmar) October 6, 2023
Suryakumar Yadav had two separate net sessions on Friday when the full team save skipper Rohit Sharma had an intensive two and half hour hit at the Chepauk ahead of the World Cup opener against Australia on Sunday.
While Rohit keenly watched the net session and spent at least 10 minutes talking to Shreyas Iyer on how to play the short ball and perfect execution of pull and hook.
Rohit, perhaps, the finest practitioner of horizontal bat shots among the contemporary Indian batters, took a bat and did a bit of shadow on how to play the deliveries below and above the eye-line as Iyer listened in rapt attention.
However, the most interesting aspect was Surya’s training session. At the main nets, he used all his T20 shots, including the ones that’s played behind the square using supple wrists. As left-arm throwdown expert Nuwan Seneviratne sent those rockets, Surya brought his ‘Supla’ shots out of the bag.
Surya’s problems in ODI cricket has been deliveries that are straight and pitched on length.
Once the main nets outside the stadium was finished, one saw him head towards another net adjacent to the centre strip to practice some range hitting straight down the ground.
It was as if he was trying to execute the assignment given by Dravid, to increase his range by “range-hitting”.
Range hitting is primarily a golf term but coaches nowadays ask players to execute the straight big hits.
However, Ishan Kishan‘s struggles were there for everyone to see as he could hardly time any delivery from Jasprit Bumrah, who was breathing fire in the nets with some unplayable deliveries.
Save Virat Kohli, none of the others looked very comfortable against India’s pace spearhead but Kishan, who is set to open in place of Shubman Gill against Australia on Sunday, looked the least comfortable.
Bumrah time and again beat him for pace and Mohammed Siraj also hurried him into his strokes. Kishan also didn’t look in great rhythm while facing throwdowns and even Mohammed Shami bowling with a short four-step run-up pitched it full and squared him up.
A few balls flew towards the gully and point and it didn’t make for a pretty picture.
However, if Kishan gets cracking on Sunday, the practice session struggles won’t matter.
(With PTI Inputs)
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