Team India has started practice before the Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was out of the team for 6 months due to injury, took batting practice. At the same time, 6 domestic spinners have been included in the training camp to prepare for the spin track.

The Indian team will prepare in Nagpur from February 3 to 6. Where the first Test is to be played from 9 February. The Australia team is practicing in Alur, Bangalore. The team will come to Nagpur on 7 February.

Rohit, Pujara, Virat batting
BCCI has shared photos of Indian cricket team’s practice in Nagpur. In these, Team India captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, vice-captain KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill and Ishaan Kishan were seen practicing.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli during net practice

Ravindra Jadeja also batting
Ravindra Jadeja also did batting practice with Team India. Jadeja did not play any international match in the last 6 months due to injury. He was declared fit to play the first Test on Thursday itself. He also last played a Ranji Trophy match for Saurashtra on 24 January. He took 8 wickets in this match.

6 spinners called for practice
To prepare for the Test series at home, the team management has called six spinners to bowl in the nets. These include off-spinner Washington Sundar, Jayant Yadav, left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore, Saurabh Kumar and leg-spinner Rahul Chahar. A 23-year-old spinner from the Uttar Pradesh Ranji team has also been called to bowl.

Apart from these, 4 spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav are also included in the 16-member team of Team India. The management has kept 10 spinners for practice. But, no extra pacer was included in the training camp. There are 4 pacers in the team in the form of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat.

Ishaan Kishan batting during practice in Nagpur. He was bowled by pacer Jaydev Unadkat. In the photo, spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Jayant Yadav and Akshar Patel wait for their turn.

Why call 10 spinners?
In Test cricket, the home ground is like India’s stronghold. Where it is not easy to beat Team India. The biggest reason for this is our spinners and the spinning pitch available on the grounds of the country. Many foreign teams do not understand our spinners easily and lose matches by giving early wickets. But, some of Australia’s spinners have also troubled India’s batsmen a lot in the last few series.

In these, Nathan Lyon took 34 wickets for India in 7 Tests in 2013 and 2017. In 2017, left arm spinner Steve O’Keefe also took 19 wickets for India in 4 Tests. O’Keefe’s performance also cost India a Test defeat in the previous series. In such a situation, this time Team India does not want to leave any stone unturned against the spinners.

Will practice on two grounds
During the 4-day training camp in Nagpur, the Indian team will practice at 2 grounds in the city. At the ground of old and new Vidarbha Cricket Association. The team practiced on the old ground on Friday. Later the team will practice on the new ground. The first Test will be played between India and Australia on February 9 at the new ground itself.

India will play 4 Tests from Australia
India has to play 4 Tests and 3 ODIs at home against Australia. The first Test will start in Nagpur from 9 February. Then the second Test will be played in Delhi on 17 February, the third in Dharamshala on 1 March and the fourth in Ahmedabad on 9 March. Team India will also play 3 ODIs from Australia on 17, 19 and 22 March.

India’s team for the first 2 Tests
Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan (keeper), KS Bharat (keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat.