Ahead of the first Test match against Bangladesh, India’s star batter Virat Kohli led his team to victory in a fielding competition during a practice session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The highly anticipated two-match series will kick off on September 19 in Chennai, with the second Test set to begin on September 27 in Kanpur.
In a video shared on the official social media handle of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), India’s fielding coach T Dilip provided insights into the team’s preparation. He explained that the players were divided into two groups for mini-catching sessions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining high intensity despite the humid conditions in Chennai.
Dilip stated, “The whole idea was to get everyone together as a team. We did two segments—the competition drill, considering the humidity, where the volume was less but the intensity was there.” He noted that Kohli’s team emerged victorious in the catching competition, highlighting the effectiveness of the drills.
During the second session, players practiced both outfield and infield catching, with the batters positioned in the slip cordon and short leg. Dilip praised the players’ performance, saying, “Overall, I would say it was fantastic, especially keeping the hot conditions in mind. The best part of this group was that throughout all sessions, the intensity was great.”
India currently leads the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with a point percentage of 68.52. Their upcoming series includes:
- Bangladesh: Two Tests (home)
- New Zealand: Three Tests (home)
- Australia: Five Tests (away)
India Squad:
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- KL Rahul
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Rishabh Pant (WK)
- Dhruv Jurel (WK)
- R. Ashwin
- R. Jadeja
- Axar Patel
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohd. Siraj
- Akash Deep
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Yash Dayal
Bangladesh Squad:
- Najmul Hossain Shanto (C)
- Mahmudul Hasan Joy
- Zakir Hasan
- Shadman Islam
- Mominul Haque
- Mushfiqur Rahim
- Shakib Al Hasan
- Litton Kumer Das
- Mehidy Hasan Miraz
- Taijul Islam
- Nayeem Hasan
- Nahid Rana
- Hasan Mahmud
- Taskin Ahmed
- Syed Khaled Ahmed
- Jaker Ali Anik
With the practice session showcasing their commitment and teamwork, India looks poised for a strong start in the upcoming Test series.
