Rishabh Pant faced some challenges during India's match simulation, being bowled twice and struggling against short-pitched bowling from India A pacers. This has undoubtedly raised concerns for the Indian team management ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as Pant is a crucial middle-order batsman for India.
According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, Pant was first dismissed by all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and then later by Mukesh Kumar, who managed to breach the gap between Pant's bat and pad to disturb the woodwork.
It is worth noting that the intra-squad match simulation allows players to bat again even after being dismissed. In the initial outing, India's batsmen failed to impress, with Pant showing glimpses of his potential before falling victim to Reddy. Despite hitting a few boundaries, Pant seemed fatigued after sustaining a groin injury.
Pant also encountered difficulties facing short-pitched deliveries during the team's net sessions leading up to the match simulations. In the final interval, both Virat Kohli and Pant faced a barrage of short deliveries from Prasidh and Nitish. While Kohli appeared unsettled by some deliveries but managed to bat for an hour and score 30 runs, Pant took a more proactive approach, attempting to counter the short-pitched deliveries with varying success before being dismissed by Mukesh Kumar.
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding skipper Rohit Sharma's availability for the first Test, KL Rahul took on the role of opening alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rahul displayed confidence and composure during his time at the crease, expertly handling short balls until a bouncer from Prasidh Krishna struck his elbow, necessitating medical attention. The 32-year-old was forced to leave the field and did not return, leaving India's mainstays to continue their innings.
Jaiswal, on the other hand, exhibited aggression with a powerful drive, but his attacking approach was short-lived as he edged a ball to the second slip, a common occurrence during the session.
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