 "Rohit Sharma at Team India's net session in Dubai. Image: BCCI")
As India get ready to take part in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the team’s second practice session on Monday kicked off with a strong emphasis on power-hitting. KL Rahul reportedly led the charge as Indian batters took part in an extended batting drill at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
India are all set to play their tournament opener against Bangladesh at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 20 February. The Indian team arrived in the UAE on Saturday and began their preparations on Sunday, 16 February. The Indian team is leaving no stone unturned in fine-tuning their batting approach, particularly in the middle and death overs.
According to PTI, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, who is likely to play at No. 5 or 6, focused on range-hitting during the session on Monday. Rahul reportedly adopted a more aggressive mindset, hitting fours and sixes. Rahul did not have a great ODI series against England as he only performed in the third ODI by hitting 40-odd runs.
Shreyas Iyer, who showed his attacking game during the ODI series against England, also worked on power hitting, as per the report. Meanwhile, opener Shubman Gill reportedly looked comfortable playing a mix of elegant drives and powerful pulls.
India captain Rohit Sharma, who regained his form with a 119-run knock in the second ODI against England, appeared sharp in practice, focusing on his explosive batting shots. Another veteran Virat Kohli also spent time fine-tuning his technique, concentrating on timing and playing the ball late.
According to the report, the session saw the group divided into three teams. Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shreyas Iyer were part of one team and they won.
Impact Shorts
View AllThe second team included Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, and Washington Sundar. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav, KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, and Virat Kohli were part of the third team.
Rishabh Pant’s injury update
During Sunday’s practice session, Rishabh Pant suffered a minor injury after being struck on the knee by a shot from Hardik Pandya . The team physio attended to him immediately, applying ice to the impact zone.
On Monday, Pant was seen walking comfortably as he got off India’s team bus and even interacted with fans, signing autographs. According to the Times of India, he became cautious during fielding drills, avoiding high catches and opting for shadow batting on the sidelines.
Some reports suggest that Pant looked slightly rusty in the nets, missing and edging several deliveries. Meanwhile, other reports say that he took part in the power-hitting drills and looked solid with a variety of shots.