Team India, trailing 0-1 against Sri Lanka, had a strenuous practice session at the P Sara Oval here on Sunday. With only a day left for the start of the third and final Test, there was an air of seriousness in the players’ body language. Barring Harbhajan Singh, all members of the squad were present at the nets.
Harbhajan chose to skip the session because of a side strain. However, the problem, reportedly, is not a major cause for worry.
There was good news from elsewhere. Sachin Tendulkar, who could not take the field on the Day Five of the second Test due to a stiff groin after scoring his fifth career double hundred, looked fit.
The batting maestro chose to have a light knocking session at the nets instead of a full-fledged batting session. His body language looked positive.
When asked how he was feeling, Tendulkar said “good”.
Incidentally, the highest run-getter in Tests and ODIs, will become the most capped player in Tests when he takes the field on Tuesday. He is currently tied with former Australian captain Steve Waugh at 168, followed by Allan Border (156) and Ricky Ponting (146).
Opener Gautam Gambhir, who missed the second Test due to a niggle in the knee, too was back. The left-hander is likely to take his appointed place in the third Test. And that means Murali Vijay, who impressed in the drawn Test, will have to sit out. Gambhir had a long batting session at the nets. The Delhi dasher went step by step. He initially had a knocking session with coach Gary Kirsten before facing the spinners and seamers.
Suresh Raina had a special session with Kirsten. The southpaw impressed everyone with a brilliant century in a crunch situation in his debut Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club last week.
The coach, obviously, has found a few problems in the youngster’s technique while playing short deliveries. Raina responded well by comfortably tackling the short deliveries off the backfoot.
However, Yuvraj Singh whose place in the XI is uncertain following Raina’s performance in the second Test, had a quite batting practice. Skipper MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag, too, batted at the nets.
Meanwhile, bowling coach Eric Simmons was seen giving special attention to Abhimanyu Mithun. He has been working on the youngster for quite some time. However, the Indian bowlers now have a chance to deliver as the wicket at the P Sara Oval has traditionally helped both pacers and spinners.
