Siraj, Prasidh lead India's intense Test preparations vs Afghanistan
As India gear up for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, key pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna showcased their full fitness during an intense practice session in Mullanpur, alongside emerging talents and focused batting drills.
Key Points
- Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bowled intensely in Mullanpur, demonstrating fitness ahead of the Afghanistan Test.
- Emerging pacers Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi Dar impressed during the net session, with Brar troubling KL Rahul.
- Team management focused on assessing all-round capabilities, giving significant batting time to left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey.
- Skipper Shubman Gill and other specialist batters also spent quality time in the nets against reserve bowlers.
- Mayank Yadav, despite injury setbacks, focused on fitness drills rather than extensive bowling.
Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bowled at full tilt for close to 25 minutes despite oppressive heat in Mullanpur on Thursday as India's preparations gathered pace ahead of the one off Test against Afghanistan. The Test match begins on Saturday and will be followed by a three-match ODI series.
With some questions being raised over the workload of bowlers after a two-month-long IPL season, Siraj's intense spell in searing conditions indicated that the senior pacer was carrying no obvious fitness concerns. Had he not been physically ready, it would have been difficult to sustain such effort under the scorching sun that is the hallmark of punishing summers in this part of the country.
Emerging Talent Shines In Nets
The imposing 6-foot-5-inch right-arm fast bowler Gurnoor Brar also caught the eye during the session, extracting sharp bounce from a good length. On at least two occasions, he induced outside edges from KL Rahul, who otherwise looked technically compact during his stint in the nets. Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi Dar bowled in multiple phases and appeared steady, operating well within himself while maintaining his line and length.
Team Management Assesses All-Rounders
One notable aspect of the session was the considerable amount of batting time allotted to left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, suggesting that the team management is keen to assess his all-round capabilities. Dubey and his rival for the left-arm orthodox spinner's slot, Manav Suthar, bowled in adjacent nets with head coach Gautam Gambhir closely observing their efforts.
All the specialist batters, including skipper Shubman Gill, spent quality time in the nets against the reserve bowlers, including Prince Yadav.
Fast bowler Mayank Yadav, who has endured multiple injury setbacks in recent years, was also present with the squad. However, the Lucknow Super Giants speedster largely focused on fitness drills and conditioning work instead of an extended bowling stint.