The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) caravan has moved to Sharjah as the 13th season of Indian Premier League (IPL) draws closer. The team had an intense session of training at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium – the venue where Yuzvendra Chahal made his RCB debut back in 2014. Captain Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Mohammad Siraj were all seen warming up in the outfield and having intense net sessions. RCB shared a video of their day out in Sharjah on social media as team moved cities from Dubai.
Kohli was seen facing deliveries in the nets from Siraj and Saini and middling a few. Chahal and fellow spinner Shahbaz Ahmed indulged in fielding practice after the skipper prepped the team with a talk before the beginning of the session.
“I want to see intensity in the fielding sessions now,” said Kohli as he gathered the team in a huddle.
The coaches reflected on the day after the players, spent from two hours of sweating it out, returned to the dressing room.
“The hardest thing has been (that there's been) so much time off,” said bowling coach Adam Griffith.
“For the five bowlers in particular, it's (about) getting physically ready to bowl as well as execute their skills.
“They have had three sessions each and they are going really well.”
RCB are yet to win the IPL despite having made the finals on three occasions.
The schedule for IPL 2020 is likely to be released on Sunday, 06 September.
The tournament begins from September 19 and the final will be played on November 10.