Border-Gavaskar Trophy: India’s Training Day 02 Excitement
India’s open practice session at the Adelaide Oval has turned a normal session into a spectacle. The first practice under lights, leading to the decisive second Test against Australia, attracted a large crowd as fans wanted to see their favorite sports personalities. The session was more of a show than a practice and perhaps conveyed the message that Indian cricketers, and especially the upcoming pink-ball match, are highly popular.
The open training session attracted many cricket lovers, and thus, security was under pressure to restrain the fans. Lakhs of fans continued to take selfies, clap, and cheer every block and shot, turning it into a cricket practice session more like a rock show. People like Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant thus emerged as the focal point of talk, with Adelaide getting “tickled pink” with their presence.
It was not an exercise in fan management alone but a useful preparation for the difficult pink-ball Test. Some of the key learnings were that players like Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah paid the most attention to how the lacquer-coated ball behaved during twilight conditions. The coaching staff and Gautam Gambhir watched as the team realized the importance of overcoming the day-night test unique to the Australian grounds.
Regarding the batting line up for the Indian team, questions remain open-ended about the opening pairs and the position of the batsmen. During the session, both Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant emerged as batters, and Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul also had their turns, which showed the side’s flexible approach. Australia’s wicketkeeper Alex Carey said: ‘The pink ball seams and swings much more than the Kookaburra, especially under the lights.’
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