Team India on Wednesday began their preparation for the second Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground following the humiliating defeat in the first match in Adelaide.
Taking to its official Twitter handle, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tweeted images of the team practising at the MCG.
“We are in Melbourne and now as the red-ball Tests start, it is time to regroup,” BCCI wrote along with the photographs.
They also put up a 28-second long video of batsman Shubman Gill training in the nets. “Easy on the eye. Nice and clean from Shubman Gill,” BCCI wrote along with the video.
Australia on Saturday registered brilliant 8-wicket win over India in the first Test of the four-match series at the Adelaide Oval after the bowlers had bundled the visitors for a meager total of 35 runs in the second innings.
Chasing the target of 90 runs, Australia reached the total in just 21 overs on Day 3 of the pink-ball Test. Opener Joe Burns remained unbeaten on 51 off 63 balls.
Starting the innings with a 53-run lead, India lost nine wickets in just 27 runs in the first session on Day 3 of the pink-ball Test. Mohammed Shami, the No. 11 batsman, retired hurt and could not bat.
Josh Hazlewood (5/8) and Pat Cummins (4/21) with their fiery spells have now given Australia a complete control over the Day-Night fixture. The hosts need to chase 90 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
In Kohli’s absence, Ajinkya Rahane will lead the side and will have an uphill task of making a comeback.
Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon, however, believes that despite Kohli’s absence, India will fare better as they have many world class players.
“(They) Will be able to hang in. It won’t be that bit difficult. You look at the quality of the players in the Indian side. They have got some absolutely world class players. It was one of those days when nothing went right for them and everything went right for us. We have all had them. It is part of cricket,” said Lyon on Wednesday.
“We expect them to come out firing and not having any scars from the other day. Cricket is a new game, new day. We can’t look back expecting we are going to bowl them out for 50 again. So we have to go we are preparing well again just like Indians are. I think they will come out firing,” he added.