Virat Kohli burst into a vibrant holler at the nets on Monday morning. He perfectly slog-swept a ball off Jasprit Bumrah for what could easily have been a six and then exploded into a thunderous roar, raising his hands in a manner typically reserved for celebrating a century in a match. While it was just a mock display of jubilation, the significance behind it can easily be discerned. Few manage to hit a six off Bumrah, whether in a match or a practice session. Kohli’s reaction, though a conscious overstatement, clearly showed his happiness. For the record, Bumrah has conceded only 33 maximums in 65 T20Is. He has been hit for a six only once in this World Cup.
The Indian team, which arrived in Barbados on Sunday night, hit the nets straightaway, on Monday morning. They transformed what was supposed to be an optional session into a full-fledged practice for over three hours. All the players were present, with Kohli being the first to take strike at the batting strip inside the Kensington Oval Complex. He batted for over 40 minutes, moving from one strip to another and facing a variety of bowlers, including Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Bumrah. In addition, a host of local spinners bowled to him too.
Kohli’s toil under the beating sun was understandable. In a tournament of extreme importance and significance, he has yet to make a worthwhile contribution to the team’s cause. His desire and eagerness to prepare for the challenges ahead were evident in his body language as he played a range of shots, including a series of slog-sweeps, a stroke that brought him a lot of runs in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL).
Media access to the curator of the Kensington Oval was not being granted by the authorities but those familiar with the wicket here suggest the pitch is typically slow and spinner-friendly, rather than favouring batters. Despite Australia scoring over 200 runs in their match against England here, the Indian team management took note of the conditions and invited several local spinners for the net session. The players focused on identifying shots that would yield the maximum output, such as stepping out to the spinners. Each batter worked on honing their individual strengths.
Kohli worked on his slog sweep and played aggressively against pace with high-quality shots. Rishabh Pant typically practised his sweeps, reverse sweeps, and uppish shots over the covers, while Suryakumar Yadav focused on his full array of shots. Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja engaged in extensive range hitting, a drill that even Hardik Pandya tried out on the main ground.
The bowlers aimed to keep the ball within the stumps for their normal lengths while also attempting some yorkers and wide yorkers. Kuldeep Yadav bowled for an extended period, which might suggest he is being considered for the next game. He could well come in for one of the pacers. In addition to bowling for nearly two hours, Kuldeep also participated in catching practice, focusing specifically on outfield catching, which was a key element of the day’s practice session, as much as batting nets.
India will play Afghanistan in their first Super 8 game here on June 20.
Full Super 8s Fixtures (local time)
19 June
USA v South Africa, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (10h30)
England v West Indies, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (20h30)
20 June
Afghanistan v India, Kensington Oval, Barbados (10h30)
Australia v Bangladesh, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (20h30)
21 June
England v South Africa, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (10h30)
USA v West Indies, Kensington Oval, Barbados (20h30)
22 June
India v Bangladesh, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (10h30)
Afghanistan v Australia, Arnos Vale, St Vincent (20h30)
23 June
USA v England, Kensington Oval, Barbados (10h30)
West Indies v South Africa, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (20h30)
24 June
Australia v India, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (10h30)
Afghanistan v Bangladesh, Arnos Vale, St Vincent (20h30)
