Mohammed Siraj eased lingering fears over his physical fitness by bowling at full tilt during an intense training session in oppressive heat on Wednesday, as India intensified their preparations for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh.

Speculation had been mounting that the senior fast bowler might be rested for the match, which begins on Saturday, June 6, following an arduous two-month Indian Premier League campaign. Siraj shouldered a heavy workload for Gujarat Titans, appearing in 17 matches and claiming 19 wickets. His team took the longer route to the final after losing the first qualifier, forcing them to play an extra fixture against Rajasthan Royals in Chandigarh.

During that match, the bowler was seen clutching his shoulder at various intervals, raising immediate injury alarms. Although he brushed the issue aside as heat-induced exhaustion and subsequently featured in Sunday's final in Ahmedabad, logistical hurdles compounded his fatigue. The Titans were denied a rest day before the final when extreme weather in North India delayed their flight, meaning they only arrived at their team hotel after 10 pm on Saturday night.

However, Siraj showed no signs of lingering distress in his first full net session since the tournament concluded. According to a report by the PTI news agency, Siraj and teammate Prasidh Krishna bowled at full velocity for close to 25 minutes despite the searing summer conditions. The news agency noted that Siraj's intense spell indicated the senior pacer was carrying no obvious fitness concerns, adding that sustaining such an effort under the scorching sun would have been difficult had he not been physically ready.

With Jasprit Bumrah absent from the squad, Siraj is set to lead an inexperienced bowling group. Rumours had circulated that Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi Dar, currently with the team as a net bowler, might be formally added to the squad as cover. Nabi reportedly bowled in multiple phases during the session and appeared steady, maintaining disciplined line and length. Nevertheless, Siraj's robust display ensures he will spearhead the attack on Friday.

The session also offered clues regarding the final composition of the playing eleven. Local fast bowler Gurnoor Brar caught the eye during the training stint, utilising his imposing 6-foot-5-inch frame to extract sharp bounce from a good length. The young Punjab speedster twice induced outside edges from KL Rahul and appears heavily favored to make his Test debut. Additionally, team management signaled their tactical plans by handing considerable batting time to left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey to assess his all-round capabilities ahead of the match.

India Test Squad for one-off Test vs Afghanistan

Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar.

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