India vs India A practice game at WACA© X (Twitter)
As the Indian cricket team inches closer to the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, some intriguing insights have emerged from the team’s 3-day practice game against India A. In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on social media, some snippets from the practice game have become public. The board had barred fans from attending the practice game at WACA but has now shared some updates from the match itself on the internet.
From the video, it was visible that the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj enjoyed plenty of success against India A batters. Even Harshit Rana, yet to make his debut for the Indian team, could be seen bowling in full swing during the practice game.
Batters like Sarfaraz Khan, Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, etc. could also be spotted in the video, while India grabbed some fine catches in the slips too. It was also reported that Gaikwad was among the most impressive batters on Day 2 of the practice game.
However, the biggest surprise that unfolded in the video was the opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal bowling leg-spin. As it remains uncertain if Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja both will get a go-ahead for the opening Test in Perth, it seems like Jaiswal’s part-time spin bowling is an option for head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management.
India are coming into the series on the back of a heartbreaking 0-3 home sweep against New Zealand. The likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, etc. struggled to produce their A-game as the hosts were humbled by the Kiwis.
While Rohit is unlikely to be available for the opening Test against Australia, India are also expected to miss Shubman Gill, who fractured his thumb during the practice game at WACA. KL Rahul had also sustained a blow on his elbow during the match but he has resumed net practice ahead of the start of the series.
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