Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma & Gill Shine in Canberra

On a cloudy, drizzly day at Manuka Oval in Canberra, a light-hearted moment brought smiles to Team India’s training session. While lying on the damp grass, Rishabh Pant suddenly leapt to his feet with a gymnastic twirl, landing perfectly as his teammates cheered. At the same time, the stadium’s big screen displayed a quirky gif-like video of Ian McKellen as Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings. It felt symbolic, as Team India had established themselves as the true “Lords of the Ring” during this Australian tour.

Former first-class cricketer and Cricket Australia member Greg Rowell commented on the growing admiration among Australian fans for the Indian team. “There is a genuine appreciation for the skill and persona the Indians have displayed, especially in the first Test,” he said.

India’s resilience shone after they recovered from being all out for 150 on the first day of the Perth Test. Arriving in Canberra with renewed energy, the team appeared relaxed yet focused. With Rohit Sharma back in the squad after missing the first Test, and Shubman Gill recovering well from a finger injury, the camp was optimistic about the second Test.

Gill’s participation in the second Test looks promising. The young batter faced throwdowns from Ryan ten Doeschate, the team’s assistant coach, for over 30 minutes, showing no signs of discomfort. He later transitioned to the bowling nets to face pacers Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, and Yash Dayal.

India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar shared updates, saying, “Gill looked comfortable, and the medical team will continue to monitor his progress.”

Despite the wet conditions and an unfavorable forecast for the pink-ball practice game, Team India trained with enthusiasm. Rohit Sharma, who addressed the Australian parliament a day earlier, was the first to hit the nets. He was soon joined by Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who spent extended time batting and facing throwdowns in the arena.

The slightly wet patches didn’t faze the batters, with Akash Deep’s deliveries jagging around in the helpful conditions. Later, Jaiswal even tried his hand at bowling seam-up, joking, “Fast bowling bahut difficult job hai rey!”

Meanwhile, the pacers from the first Test—Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, and spinner Washington Sundar—rested from bowling but remained engaged with the group.

Beyond the nets, camaraderie was evident on the field. Some players enjoyed a game of touch football, playfully kicking the ball in a circle. Whenever someone missed, laughter erupted, with Sarfaraz Khan humorously becoming the butt of friendly jokes.

Veteran spinner R Ashwin bowled in the main nets and later expressed his eagerness to bat, a testament to his all-round focus.

While the rain might affect the upcoming pink-ball warm-up game, the team is optimistic about Shubman Gill’s potential return for the second Test. With Rohit Sharma’s leadership, a rejuvenated squad, and the collective spirit evident in Canberra, India is gearing up to continue its dominance in the series.

Image Credits: Gujarat Samachar

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