IND vs NZ: Rohit Sharma Skips Batting Practice While Virat Kohli Sharpens Skills Against Spin
Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma watched India's practice under the lights in Dubai on Wednesday, but he did not participate in batting practice. On Sunday, March 2, India's last Group A match will be played in Dubai against New Zealand.
Ankush Pandey
In Short
- India practiced at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Wednesday under the lights.
- India's final Group A match is scheduled for Sunday against New Zealand.
- Virat Kohli appeared fluid when dealing with pace and spin at the nets.
India's captain, Rohit Sharma, chose not to bat in the nets during the team's first practice before their last Group A match in Dubai against New Zealand. On Wednesday, February 26, India trained at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Academy ground under the lights. As India prepares for the pivotal match against New Zealand on Sunday, March 2, Shubman Gill did not attend the session, but there are no doubts regarding his fitness.
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Rohit Sharma was spotted avoiding batting in the nets and performing simple fitness exercises. The official broadcasters described how much time he spent with the strength and conditioning coach. When India defeated Pakistan by six wickets, Rohit missed almost ten overs due to a hamstring injury scare. He needed medical attention during Pakistan's innings and looked uneasy. Nevertheless, he went out to bat and hit a brilliant 20 off 15 balls, giving India a head start in their successful 242 chase.
Rohit watched India's training closely even though he skipped net practice. Along with engaging in a playful tennis racquet training session, he had lengthy conversations with head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Coach Morne Morkel returned to the team and was spotted supervising the practice, which was a huge boost for India's bowling camp. A family emergency forced Morkel to depart before India's Champions Trophy opener, even though he had travelled to Dubai with the team. Additionally, he did not accompany the team to the India vs. Pakistan match.
VIRAT KOHLI SWEATS IT OUT AT NETS
Virat Kohli was the centre of attention following his game-winning century against Pakistan on Sunday. By working harder in the nets and facing both pacers and spinners, the former captain showed that he was hungry for runs. Against Indian spinners and local net bowlers, Kohli concentrated especially on tackling spin in order to get ready for a trial by spin matchup with New Zealand.
India trained on a grass-rich pitch, according to the official broadcasters, as opposed to the low and slow surfaces at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
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As he confidently moved down the track against spinners and driving pacers in the "V," Kohli played a variety of shots.
Rishabh Pant was another batter who honed his craft by spending a lot of time in the middle. In the nets, the wicketkeeper-batter practiced with Kohli. After being benched for India's first two Champions Trophy games, it is unclear if Pant will experience any action.
Hardik Pandya, an all-rounder, concentrated on facing short-pitched deliveries and asked a support staff member to bowl him a number of bouncers that were waist-high. Hardik worked hard with the ball after finishing his batting session.
Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana—India's three top pacers—all practiced in the middle, honing their lines and lengths, while the spinners also had a hard session.
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India has already advanced to the semi-finals, so it is unclear if they will alter their lineup in order to test their bench strength. Even though they had the chance to switch up their starting lineup, India chose to stick with it in the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup, two recent ICC competitions.
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