Wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan, pacer Prasidh Krishna and veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were the other Team India members who chose to train on Friday
Rohit Sharma during India’s practice session yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
Team India have put on a near-perfect show in their 10-out-of-10 wins ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final against Australia. But if there is one area that possibly needs some bettering, it is the middle and lower middle-order batting group that hasn’t really been tested to the fullest.
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Understandably, No. 5 KL Rahul and No. 7 Ravindra Jadeja had a good hit in the nets at the optional practice session at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Friday. Both Rahul and Jadeja preferred to take the cautious approach with their willows, rarely going for any big shot. One would have expected No. 6 Suryakumar Yadav to be around too, but he has obviously decided to do the hard yards along with the other eight of the playing XI, who also stayed away, on match-eve.
Skipper Rohit Sharma was the third playing XI member, who chose to practise on the day. And true to his form—he’s among the top five run-getters at this edition of the quadrennial showpiece event so far with 550 runs to his name—he was middling everything that was thrown at him for the 45-minute long session. Rohit faced pacers, who were particularly angling the ball across him for the first few minutes before then taking on a leg-spinner, who had an action similar to that of Aussie leggie Adam Zampa. Rohit defended well, but also went for his shots whenever the delivery asked for it, mirroring his approach in this tournament.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan, pacer Prasidh Krishna and veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were the other Team India members who chose to train on Friday.