Watch: Bhangra, Dhol Beats Welcome Team India In Tour Game vs Leicestershire
The start to the warm-up game was quite entertaining as Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stepped on to the field to the tune of bhangra danceand dhol beats.
The Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team is off to some serious business in England as they embark on a campaign to win the Test series against England. The visitors are leading 2-1 in the series that had to be halted midway last year due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp. The rescheduled Test will be played at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham from July 1. Before the all-important test, the Indians started their Tour with a warm-up game against Leicestershire on Thursday.
The start to the warm-up game was quite entertaining as Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stepped on to the field to the tune of bhangra dance and dhol beats. Dancers clad in traditional Punjabi dress could be seen dancing as the players made their way on to the field. Some of the Indian players could not hide their smiles at the situation.
Watch: Some Bhangra to start the day for Indians!
That is some welcome for a practice game. Leicester is buzzing. #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/uI5R6mafFV
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 23, 2022
The Indians are batting first against Leicestershire in the four-day warm-up game. The warm-up fixture will be an opportunity for the Men in Blue to acclimatise themselves in the new condition.
Star Indian players Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna have been added to the rival Leicestershire County Cricket Club (LCCC) squad. They will play under county captain Sam Evans.
"India superstars Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna will all team up with the Leicestershire squad, captained by opening batsman Sam Evans," the England club said in a statement.
“LCCC, BCCI and the ECB have all agreed to allow the four players from the visiting camp to be part of the Running Foxes side, in order to allow all members of the travelling party to participate in the fixture (subject to fitness).
“The match will be played with 13 players per side to provide further flexibility and help manage bowling workloads.”
India: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav.
Leicestershire CCC: Sam Evans (Capt), Rehan Ahmed, Sam Bates (wk), Nat Bowley, Will Davis, Joey Evison, Louis Kimber, Abi Sakande, Roman Walker, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna.
India Cricket Team
Rohit Sharma
Jasprit Bumrah
Rishabh Pant
Virat Kohli
Cheteshwar Pujara