Mumbai: Indian Test captain Virat Kohli and fellow Delhi batsman Gautam Gambhir have been reunited after a gap of two years. Gambhir last represented India in 2014 tour of England. Gambhir and Kohli were sharing laughs and at the same time practicing hard for the clash at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
The Delhi teammates had a showdown and verbal spat at IPL in 2013. The things got tense and they had to be separated by officials and players. Kohli and Gambhir both are passionate cricketers and they always wear heart on their sleeve and like to give 100 percent and not like to leave anything on the field.
The 34-year-old’s turn to bat at the nets came last along with R Ashiwn who did not bowl to recover from the corn — thickened skin — on his middle finger of the bowling arm.
The duo faced only a few deliveries in the fag end of the two-hour practice but skipper Kohli later clarified that no inference could be drawn from the practice session.
Kohli was trying to explain that not much should be read into the net practices as it is the choice of individuals if he needs preparation or not.
“Day before the game we definitely look to do that with the batting order. It can differ from player to player. Sometimes a player doesn’t want to bat in the nets. He just wants throwdowns and then walk away.
“You won’t see him entering the nets, that doesn’t mean he won’t play. Day before the Test we look to bat the batting order how would be but at the same time if someone wants to pull out that doesn’t mean he won’t play. It’s just the preparation preference that an individual has before a game,” Kohli said.
Gambhir would likely be carrying drinks as Shikhar Dhawan; another Delhi dasher would regain the spot vacated by Kannur Lokesh Rahul (out with hamstring strain) as he was the incumbent.
Kane hit by bug, uncertainty over participation:
New Zealand faced further setback as captain and premiere batsman Kane Williamson was hit by a bug and is not a certain starter for the Kolkata Test. Kiwis are already without Tim Southee and Mark Craig after he was ruled out due to side strain after Kanpur Test. Jimmy Neesham is still recovering from his injury.
Team-mate Tom Latham said the Black Caps were hoping the talismanic batsman would be fully recovered for the first day on Friday as the tourists fight to save the series.
“Kane is a little bit crook (sick) today so he won’t be training. Hopefully he’ll be fine to go on Friday,” Latham told reporters.
“There is no discomfort, he is just down with a bug. Nothing too major, he is just resting up and getting in shape for the Test.”
New Zealand need a win at Eden Gardens to square the three-match series at 1-1 after they lost the first Test in Kanpur by 197 runs.
Black Caps are facing their biggest test not only mentally but physically as well. The side is collapsing and with Williamson unsure they could be facing a tough examination at the iconic venue.
Latham further added that “Nothing really changes too much (from Kanpur). You have to do all the cliche things you need to do at the start of an innings,” he said.
“We weren’t too far away in the first test. As Hess (coach Mike Hesson) has alluded to, we just need to do things for a little bit longer.
“If we can do that with bat and ball it will a good chance in this match.”
India would be gung ho and if they win the Kolkata Test they will regain the NO.1 ranking. The match is coincidentally India’s 250th home Test.