Shubman Gill Comes Up With Big Plan, Does This In Practice Ahead Of Sri Lanka Tests
The India team management issued specific instructions to the NCC ground staff to make sure that the pitch used in their practice was in the similar condition as the one used in their warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI.
- The India team management issued specific instructions to the NCC staff for their practice in Sri Lanka
- According to reports, the surface was deliberately left to resemble a Day 4 track
- Shubman Gill also practiced with semi-old balls in order to combat reverse swing
The Indian cricket team management issued specific instructions to the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) ground staff to ensure that the pitch used for practice was in similar conditions to the one used in their warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI. India will return to World Test Championship (WTC) action when they take on Sri Lanka in a two-Test series starting August 15. The Shubman Gill-led side received a massive boost ahead of the series thanks to a win over Sri Lanka XI in the warm-up game. According to reports, the surface was deliberately left to resemble a Day 4 track, complete with cracks. It reportedly also had the possibility of reverse swing, and it was used by India batters to work on their footwork.
While the focus has mainly been on spin due to the nature of the Galle pitch, the decision taken by the Indian team management showed that the visitors were also preparing for Sri Lanka's pace attack.
During the net session, Gill faced deliveries from three throw-down specialists: Nuwan Seneviratne, Raghavedra Dwivedi and Dayanand Garani. Kookaburra balls, both old and new, were used, and Gill specifically practised against reverse swing.
After a brief session, he faced Auqib Nabi, who was also instructed to bowl with semi-old balls. The report claimed that the surface in Sri Lankan grounds impacts the ball more quickly than usual and, as a result, reverse swing can come into play.
Meanwhile, former Sri Lanka fast bowler Farveez Maharoof feels that despite India's batting vulnerabilities in facing spinners, the Shubman Gill-led side enters the upcoming two-game Test series far better prepared than the hosts.
“The vulnerability of Indian batting order and the negativity going around with it, with losing to South Africa at home especially, this is where Sri Lanka can really bounce on if they bring the A game. My concern is that some of the players have not played after the West Indies series because of LPL straight away and then this Test series.
“So, maybe some of the bowlers will be slightly undercooked when it comes to the workload. I mean, they had at least a couple of weeks to get their workload high, train for a while. But it's nothing like a practice game in my opinion. As far as I know, Sri Lanka has not played a practice game because of simply no time, whereas India just played a three-day game,” Maharoof told IANS.
(With IANS inputs)
India Cricket Team
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