The Indian cricket team held an intense practice session at the iconic Gabba on Thursday, determined to rebound after their heavy defeat in Adelaide during the first Test against Australia. Players and coaching staff were fully immersed in preparations, reflecting a collective focus on turning the series around.
Star players, including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, were seen engaged in warm-ups and strategic discussions. Rohit held talks with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jadeja, while Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir appeared engrossed in a serious conversation. Bowling coach Morne Morkel and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar also contributed to the planning.
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The session featured comprehensive fielding drills, with players like Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Devdutt Padikkal practicing slip catches. Meanwhile, bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Jasprit Bumrah focused on their fitness routines. The coaches also addressed the team in a huddle, with fielding coach T Dilip providing tactical inputs, particularly to Jaiswal.
Also See: IND vs AUS Series Schedule and Match Fixtures
The opening Test at Adelaide was a tough outing for India. After winning the toss and opting to bat, the team managed only 180 runs in their first innings. Notable contributions came from KL Rahul (37), Shubman Gill (31), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (42), but Australia’s Mitchell Starc dominated with figures of 6/48, supported by Pat Cummins and Scott Boland, who claimed two wickets each.
In response, Australia built a commanding 157-run lead, scoring 337 runs. Travis Head’s explosive 140 off 141 balls, supported by Marnus Labuschagne (64) and Nathan McSweeney (39), put the Indian bowlers under pressure. Jasprit Bumrah (4/61) and Mohammed Siraj (4/98) were the standout performers for India, while Ravichandran Ashwin and Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with a wicket apiece.
India’s second innings saw another underwhelming performance, collapsing for 175 in just 36.5 overs. Contributions from Shubman Gill (28), Yashasvi Jaiswal (24), and Rishabh Pant (28) were insufficient to mount a challenge. Captain Pat Cummins led Australia’s bowling with a remarkable five-wicket haul, while Boland and Starc added three and two wickets, respectively.
Set a modest target of 19 runs, Australia comfortably sealed the victory within 3.2 overs, with Usman Khawaja (10*) and McSweeney (9*) guiding their team home.
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