CHENNAI: Team India will complete one week of quarantine on Thursday since landing in Sydney on November 13. After mandatory COVID-19 tests, Indians have started training. Here is what they have been up to so far.
Practice camp
Even though others barring Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari have reached Australia with enough match practice, Team India are using the two weeks as more of a preparatory camp.
After a couple of short practice sessions, players over the last couple of days have had extended training from 10 am to 6 pm with a lunch break in between.
Even though the tour starts with limited-over games, India have split their camp into three halves as they are training with the white, red and pink ball apart from having fitness sessions. This is being done since Indians have not trained with the red ball after the Tests against New Zealand in February.
Eye on bowlers
Even before the team landed in Sydney, they have been hampered with injury to key players. As a result, India are treading cautiously with regards to the workload of the bowlers, especially pacers.
With India taking an extended squad of 28, they have split the sessions to give equal preference to everyone. Although all the pacers except Ishant Sharma reached Australia intact, India are not ready to take any chances.
The likes of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah will be rotated during the limited overs. This opens the door for T Natarajan, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Siraj to get a few matches.
What about Ishant?
The pacer who is currently training at the National Cricket Academy is expected to join the team in Sydney next week. Ishant, who has 97 Tests to his name, resumed bowling in Bengaluru under the watch of the NCA director Rahul Dravid.
Movement & food issues
Indian team, which is stationed at the Sydney Olympic Park, have restricted movement. Though they have been allowed to train, they are barred from entering other player’s rooms in the hotel with regular Covid-19 tests lined up.
While some players have taken their families along, they are not allowed to step out of the room. Even the food is delivered to their rooms. The vegetarians in the team though are not impressed with the menu.
Interestingly, BCCI has decided against sending a psychologist and a yoga guru with the team despite a request from the team management.
Fate of Adelaide Test
With South Australia imposing strict lockdown measures in the wake of the second wave of coronavirus, the fate of the first day/night Test in Adelaide hangs in balance. In case Adelaide doesn’t get to host the first Test, Sydney is being looked at as an alternative.