T20 World Cup: Plenty of spin, big sixes and Jasprit Bumrah’s masterclass – Inside India’s marathon training session

What initially started as a hit on one practice pitch trickled down to the far end of the practice square where ground staff made late arrangements for range hitting. Even the practice cage toward the stadium’s main enclosure was lit, hosting Kuldeep Yadav, Tilak Varma, and

Mohammed Siraj working on their skills, with Jasprit Bumrah joining late. There was activity everywhere and it became difficult to keep a tab on multiple hot spots which were activated for the marathon yet high-intensity training session.

After completing his usual release work with the resistance band and getting a feel for the main ground, Bumrah went to the nets with bowling coach

Morne Morkel. The South African was asked to remove his boots which were precisely placed around the popping crease and Bumrah had his target locked. The bowler delivered a few looseners from a short run-up; once satisfied with the run-up and grip near the landing area, he bowled with full effort.

It was a masterclass in accuracy as he repeatedly bowled to perfect his art of nailing yorkers at will and received constant feedback from the bowling coach. The two would break into short chats after almost every delivery and like a very patient learner, Bumrah soaked in the advice he received. Mohammed Siraj, still padded up, dropped by and the two had some nice banter before Bumrah resumed business. By the time he was done, Morkel’s footwear was severely damaged as the ball thudded into the pair on many occasions but the coach wasn’t complaining.

It was a job well done, and attention returned to the main ground.

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The ring of fire was lit in its full glory and shouts of “Watch out! Mind!” reverberated in the empty stands as a barrage of sixes were launched by the India batters, Hardik Pandya in particular. The right-hander switched nets and partners but looked to go big almost every delivery. The onslaught began against the Indian squad’s spinners, continued against the seamers, and concluded with the destruction of everything net bowlers and side-armers sent his way during the marathon two-hour hitting session.

His teammates had to duck for cover and the handful of officials and media personnel watching the nets from the sight screen were constantly focused on the ball. This could well be India’s last full-throttle hit before the Super 8s get underway and no player showed any drop in intensity during their time in the middle. From Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Tilak, and Suryakumar Yadav to the bowlers Siraj, Kuldeep, and Varun Chakravarthy, and then the all-rounders —Axar Patel, Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar — they arrived fresh but left drenched in sweat after what seemed like a satisfying outing.

As expected, initial attention was restricted to World No.1 T20I batter

Abhishek Sharma, who is yet to get off the mark in the tournament. With three ducks in as many games, the youngster looked a bit low on confidence and his delayed entry into the batting net raised some eyebrows. It, however, was similar to what he had done on the eve of the match vs USA at Wankhede where he was one of the last players to have a hit. Similar to that pleasant evening in Mumbai, the left-hander first bowled an extended spell and then focussed only on hitting sixes in Ahmedabad on Friday. The connections however weren’t as sweet and the baggage of three ducks did seem to weigh him down a bit.

Before proceedings got underway, Coach

Gautam Gambhir gave an extended pep talk. The fist bump between the two after their animated chat assured that management has his back. Bowling coach Morne Morkel echoed this sentiment at the press conference preceding the training.

“Abhishek is a world-class player. Luckily, there were guys standing up with Abhishek obviously not scoring the runs he would like. But we’re going through a very important phase of the World Cup now and I’m pretty sure he’s going to deliver,” said Morkel when asked about discussions around Abhishek in the Indian camp.

“Not so much just for the team, but also for all the viewers watching the game, because he’s entertaining and we love to see that. So, yeah, I’m pretty sure [he’ll turn it around]; he’s hitting the ball well in the nets. It’s just a matter of getting that start and getting his innings going,” the 41-year-old further added.​​

Abhishek’s nearly 20-minute hit had everyone glued to the net he was batting in. From coach Gautam Gambhir to captain Suryakumar Yadav and other support staff members, everyone watched the young lad who has had a forgettable T20 World Cup campaign so far. The way everyone grouped outside the nets explained what the left-hander’s return to form means for the entire group, and how much they value his contributions and role in the side.

With quality players, the question is always when, not how. There are very few doubts about their ability and it’s that one sweet connection everyone waits for. The wait wasn’t long as Abhishek managed to connect a few shots in his brief hit but the way he exited the net and stood near his training gear, he didn’t look content. For a batter who has sent shivers down the opposition’s spine, the struggle to return to form seemed real.

It was also a reminder of how this sport unfolds and continues to be a great equaliser.

Come Saturday, the belligerent southpaw will have another opportunity to hit the right notes, as the rest of the clan is expected to relax in the team hotel while only a few endure the afternoon heat.