Team India’s preparations for the crucial fourth Test against England in Manchester began under overcast skies and behind closed doors but without some key names. KL Rahul once again missed training, while skipper Shubman Gill and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah also gave the session a miss.
Indoor session amid rain, but big names missing
With persistent rain in Manchester, the first training session at Old Trafford was shifted indoors and made optional. However, according to TOI, regular starters like KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy opted to sit out of the optional training session. The rest of the squad reached the ground around 1 PM local time. No visuals were released, and media was not allowed inside the venue.
Interestingly, Rahul was not part of the training session when India put in hard yards in at the Kent County Cricket Ground in Beckenham. While the reason was unkown, it is likely that Rahul has been looking to manage his workload. In the Test series, there’s hardly any batter more assured than him. In the first three Tests as an opener, Rahul has accumulated 375 runs at 62.50. With his watertight technique and hunger to dominate, he’s likely to be a mainstay at the top for the foreseeable future.
The good news for India is that Bumrah, who was rested during the second Test, is expected to return for the Manchester match. However, concerns remain around the pace unit.
Akash Deep, India’s best performer at Edgbaston, is reportedly struggling with a back issue that flared up again during the Lord’s Test. With Arshdeep Singh already sidelined due to a hand injury, India have called up Haryana pacer Anshul Kamboj as cover. India have never won a Test at Old Trafford.
