Bend it like Kishan!

Jamtha Jottings

By Paritosh Pramanik and Anupam Soni

 THERE have been several football loving cricketers in the Indian team in the past. Former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was a footballer in his school days. Indians prefer playing football during warm-up sessions.

On Tuesday, Indian wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli were seen kicking the ball targeting a specific area. In this ‘competition’ Ishan emerged the clear winner. The players unleashed free-kicks targeting a dugout. While Kohli’s spot kicks flew wide, it was Ishan who hit the bull’s eye on several occasions with a few shots swinging in. He pumped his fist time and again after sending the ball into the dugout forcing Kohli to acknowledge his skills.

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BEGIN WITH SPIN

With rank turners expected at Jamtha Stadium, the Australians started their first practice session at the main stadium with spinners bowling at plastic stumps. They practised on the same wicket where India had done their nets the previous day.

Premier Australian spinner Nathan Lyon spun the ball sharply on quite a few occasions with the coaching staff smiling sensing what they would be in for the next five days.

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Using RUGBY BALL as bat

Australians are famous for introducing new techniques and ideas during training sessions. At VCA Jamtha Stadium the Australian players were seen practising close-in catching drills with a rugby ball instead of cricket bat. A support staff threw underarm balls towards the ‘batter’ who tried to hit it with a rugby ball. The cricket ball deflected with the rugby ball and players tried to catch it. They succeeded at times and failed on a few occasions. But with this drill their reflexes got fine-tuned.

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COMPULSORILY OPTIONAL!

India’s practice session, two days ahead of the first Test was labelled as ‘optional practice session’. 

Over the years, it has been observed that generally senior players give it a miss. But that was not the case on Tuesday. All the players with sole exception of Mohd Shami turned up for the optional session. With cut-throat competition in place for a spot in the final eleven, nobody wanted to give the session a miss. 

Out of sight is out of mind, they say! n