The anticipation was palpable as two of cricket’s titans, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, faced off in the nets during India‘s first practice session in Barbados ahead of their Super Eight match against Afghanistan. Kohli, keen to refine his pull shot, squared up against Bumrah, who was determined not to give an inch.
The encounter was a spectacle, reminiscent of the classic battles between the world’s best all-format bowler and an all-time great batter. Kohli started the session with throwdowns for about 30 minutes before facing deliveries from Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya. He was seen executing lofted drives down the ground and over extra cover.
The highlight came when Bumrah delivered a sharp bouncer from a back-of-length position. Kohli managed to hook the ball towards the fine-leg region, and both players exchanged wry smiles, acknowledging the intensity of their duel.
Kohli then took a brief break, receiving gentle throwdowns from Yuzvendra Chahal and coach Rahul Dravid. Despite his current struggle in the World Cup, with scores of 1, 4, and 0, the team management remains confident in the Kohli-Rohit opening combination, particularly after Rishabh Pant‘s success at No.3.
In preparation for the extra bounce likely on Caribbean pitches, Kohli’s session against Bumrah’s short-pitched deliveries was crucial. This practice session was India’s first since completing the New York leg of the tournament, where no training or play was possible in Fort Lauderdale due to bad weather.
All squad members participated in the session, with Ravindra Jadeja working on his slog sweep and inside-out drives, and Rishabh Pant facing deliveries from Bumrah, Hardik, Kuldeep, and Axar Patel ,Hardik later practiced range hitting on the field.
Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were the next to bat in the nets, while Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh capitalized on the breeze to generate significant swing.
India’s preparations are in full swing as they gear up for their crucial Super Eight match against Afghanistan, with Kohli and Bumrah’s competitive spirit setting the tone for the team’s readiness.
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