IND vs BAN: Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah Lead Preparation at Chennai Nets As Team India Gears Up For Test Series

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Chennai, Sep 13: As Team India begin their preparation for the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh, the players assembled at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday (September 13) for their first training session.

Under the watchful eyes of head coach Gautam Gambhir, batting coach Abhishek Nayyar and bowling coach Morne Morkel, star cricketer Virat Kohli spent 45 minutes in the nets. While pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah bowled at full speed, signalling India's determination ahead of the crucial home assignment.

The first Test of the series is set to begin on September 19, and the entire squad, including skipper Rohit Sharma and Kohli, was present for a closed-door practice session.

This series marks Gambhir's first home assignment since taking over the reins from Rahul Dravid. Alongside Gambhir, bowling coach Morne Morkel, the South African legend, and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar were also actively involved in the practice.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared images of the practice session on social media, captioned, "The countdown starts as Team India begin their preps for an exciting home season." The photos captured moments of the squad listening attentively to Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma, setting the tone for their upcoming encounters.

Kohli and Bumrah Lead the Charge in the Nets

Kohli, who flew in directly from London, was seen engaging in an intense 45-minute net session. Meanwhile, Bumrah, who returned to action after a break, was bowling at full throttle, gearing up for the challenge ahead. Other key players, including KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Bumrah, had arrived in the city on Thursday to join the training camp.

Batter Sarfaraz Khan is expected to join the squad after completing his ongoing commitments in the Duleep Trophy, where he is representing India B in Anantapur.

India's Home Season Begins

After a brief break of more than a month, the Indian team is looking to bounce back from the disappointment of their ODI series loss to Sri Lanka in August. That series marked Gambhir's first assignment as head coach.

The upcoming series against Bangladesh holds significant importance for India, with World Test Championship (WTC) points on the line. India currently leads the WTC table with 68.52 percentage points, closely followed by Australia.

Bangladesh, fresh off a 2-0 Test series win against Pakistan, will be riding high with confidence as they face India. They have jumped to fourth place in the WTC standings, with wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das playing a pivotal role in their success.

The second Test of the series will take place in Kanpur starting September 27. Following the Bangladesh series, India will face New Zealand at home in a three-Test series, before embarking on the much-anticipated five-match Border-Gavaskar series against Australia later this year.