The serene atmosphere on the foothills of the snow-capped mountain range was disturbed by the whirring sound made by a helicopter’s blades. In a first of sorts, India captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid landed for the team’s net session in a chopper. The two were special invitees at the Himachal Pradesh khel mahotsav in Bilaspur, about 150 km from here. Sports minister and former BCCI president Anurag Thakur has organised the annual event that attracts thousands of schoolchildren. Rohit, in sharp aviators, would soon join the team for an intense training session. With the conditions wet and gloomy over the last few days, the players seemed keen to get into the groove ahead of the final Test of the series.
Jasprit Bumrah, returning after skipping the fourth Test, was among the first to reach the nets. For the coldest Test of the series, he took his time to loosen up. He would start by bowling without a run-up. Gradually, he would increase the number of steps and before going to the top of his run-up and bowling at full tilt. Besides the sound of the chopper earlier in the day, the other cracking sound was that of Bumrah’s thunderbolt hitting the middle of Shubman Gill’s bat.
Feeling at ease
After their net session, the England players ditched the team bus and took to the road. The pleasant Tuesday morning was perfect for a stroll or jog through the hill town. It was a pleasant surprise for the locals, who got busy taking pictures. The English fans too have been swarming the city and can be seen at pubs and eateries. A group of English fans, not far from the stadium, was getting a feel of rural life. With the help of a farm lady, they were operating the wheeled machine used to cut cattle feed. Around 5,000 English fans are expected in the city during the Test. The conditions are English, the town has English fans; for Ben Stokes and his team, the final match of the series would remind them of home.
Batting tips
There is a famous video from Sarfaraz Khan’s debut Test in Rajkot. As teary father Naushad stands near the boundary rope watching his son get a Test cap, captain Rohit walks up to him. Having played most of his early cricket on Mumbai’s maidans, Rohit knows the effort Naushad has put in his son’s cricket. He would appreciate Naushad’s hard work and shake hands with him. The father would get emotional and say, “Uska dhyan rakhna (Take care of him)”. Rohit would nod his head. Today after a long batting stint, Sarfaraz and Rohit were seen having a long chat. The youngster has scores of 62, 68 not out, 14 and 0 in this series. A big knock here can see him cement his place in the Test squad.
Bumrah batting
It was a day when every player would get a long batting stint. The bowlers too padded up and faced the throwdown specialists and top pacers. Bumrah, after his bowling spell, started batting. He would be hunched really low as he faced batting coach Vikram Rathore’s throwdowns. “I am working to keep out the balls that really keep low,” he says. Was that a clue to the nature of the pitch? This is said to be a slow turner but will have uneven bounce. Even if it wouldn’t, Bumrah is preparing for every eventuality.
Jadeja’s batting hunger
Ravindra Jadeja had two long batting stints at the nets. Despite the coaches asking him to end his session and others pleading him to move, the all-rounder made a “few more balls” request. Dharamsala is likely to test Jadeja’s fitness and flexibility. After the Test in chilly conditions, Jadeja will be moving to dry Chennai for the Super Kings camp. It is not easy being a 3-D player in all three formats.
Team dinner
The Indian team management had organised a last team dinner before the final Test at the team hotel. It’s a ritual where each member, alongwith their family members, is invited.
