Durham: Indian Test team captain Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, who missed the tourists’ lone warm-up match against County Select XI due to niggles last week, were back to practice and geared up for the Test series beginning August 4, with a practice session in the centre wicket.
Both Kohli and Rahane had batting sessions along with No. 3 batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal, who is expected to open with Rohit Sharma in the first Test in Nottingham.
“#TeamIndia back at it and having a centre wicket training at Durham Cricket Club ahead of the five-match Test series against England,” tweeted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) alongwith pictures of the batsmen having nets.
#TeamIndia back at it and having a centre wicket training at Durham Cricket Club ahead of the five-match Test series against England.#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/Y71qe4b4mo
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 27, 2021
The Indian team in England has been hit by injuries with three members, who were part of the initial squad, having been ruled out due to injuries.
Opening batsman Shubman Gill (shin in left leg) has already returned home whereas spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar (right hand bowling finger) and pace bowler Avesh Khan (left thumb) will not take any further part in the Test series.
The BCCI has announced opener Prithvi Shaw and middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav as replacements who will reach England only after the limited overs series in Sri Lanka is over.