The Indian cricket team on Thursday were seen trying wrestling-like drill ahead of the second Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, beginning on Saturday at the MCG.
Two players in a pair were seen trying to outdo each other that vaguely resembled a wrestling bout.
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Ravindra Jadeja, who arrived at the nets first, was put through a fitness test as he is likely to be included in the playing eleven. He was made to run betwern the wickets with a bat on his hand.
Jadeja, who has bagged 213 wickets and scored 1869 runs in 49 Tests, had missed the final two T20Is and the first Test against the hosts due to a concussion and a hamstring injury suffered during the first T20I.
T. Natarajan, one of the discoveries from India’s ongoing tohr if Australia, looked to be the best bowlers in the net. He often managed to beat the outside edge of the batsmen, including stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara.
Certain to play in the second Test after missing the pink-ball match at the Adelaide Oval, both KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant had long sessions at the nets.
As the players got busy at the nets after warming up, the Indian think tank — chief coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and batting coach Vikram Rathour — were seen exchanging notes from the practice session.
They also had a long chat with Rahane, who will lead the team in the remaining three Tests in he absence of Virat Kohli, who has flown back to India for the birth of his child.