India’s captain, Shubman Gill, is diligently preparing for the upcoming Test series against South Africa. During an optional training session at Eden Gardens, Gill took charge as India geared up for the first Test on November 14.
Gill dedicated nearly 90 minutes to batting practice in the nets while sporting India’s new orange-accented training kit. He engaged in discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak before warming up with slip catches and facing spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
The pitch at Eden Gardens had a brownish appearance with hints of light green patches, raising speculations about spin-friendly conditions. However, Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly confirmed that the team management did not request a rank turner, promising a fair surface for the Test.
After facing spinners, Gill challenged himself against pace bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Nitish Kumar Reddy before taking on local net bowlers. He also received throwdowns from the support staff, including coaching from Morne Morkel.
Gill inspected the pitch alongside coach Gambhir, tapping the surface to assess its firmness. Arriving in Kolkata after T20I duties in Australia, Gill prioritized the optional session to transition back to red-ball cricket following a series of white-ball matches.
Despite a modest performance in the ODI and T20I series in Australia, Gill has excelled in Test cricket, boasting 979 runs in eight matches at an impressive average of 69.92. Notably, his standout performances in England and against the West Indies showcased his prowess.
Other players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan also honed their skills during extensive batting sessions. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav missed the session as they joined the squad after featuring in India A’s match against South Africa A in Bengaluru.