TimesofIndia.com in Mohali: A day after receiving the green signal from the Centre of Excellence (CoE), Rohit Sharma showcased his fine form during India's optional training session at the IS Bindra PCA Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday. The 39-year-old former India captain was the first to step off the team bus, and security officials along with Punjab Police personnel quickly pulled out their phones as he was inundated with selfie requests. He obliged a few before heading straight into the pavilion.
Training Session Details
Rohit began with a light jog alongside his former Mumbai Indians opening partner Ishan Kishan before proceeding to bat at the open nets. Initially, he appeared a bit rusty when Nitish Kumar Reddy struck him on the pads. However, as the sun began to set, the right-handed batter found his rhythm. Flicks, pulls, cuts, and drives were all on display, and none of the pacers—Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, or Prince Sharma—were able to trouble him.
Rohit shared the fast-bowling nets with Shreyas Iyer, with both batters switching ends after every over. In the side nets, Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal went berserk against the spinners. After a productive 45-minute session against the quicks, Rohit engaged in a conversation with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. He then moved to the spinner nets, where he faced left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey and Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) net bowlers. Notably, Rohit did not charge down the track against either the spinners or the fast bowlers. He concluded the session by taking a few high catches with fielding coach T Dilip.
Shreyas Iyer and Team Updates
India's new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer also looked in fine touch. The swashbuckling batter, fresh from playing for SoBo Mumbai Falcons in the Mumbai T20 League, appeared untroubled. He was tested with short-pitched deliveries by Gurnoor Brar. Apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal, those who played in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Mullanpur opted out of the training session. Notable absentees included captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, and Washington Sundar.
India won the Test match by an innings and 300 runs. The first ODI of the three-match series will be played in Dharamshala on Saturday (June 13), followed by matches in Lucknow on June 17 and Chennai on June 20.
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About the Author: Pratyush Raj is a cricket journalist with TOI Sports, specializing in all things cricket, both on and off the field. He began his career with Business Standard before following his passion as a sports reporter for the Times of India in Chandigarh. Pratyush has also contributed to the sports coverage of India Today Group, and his last stint was with The Indian Express. His love for sports was nurtured during his upbringing in flood-prone Saharsa, a district in North Bihar, where Cricket Samrat was his constant companion.
