Team India starts preparations for West Indies ODIs

Focus returned to cricket after Covid-19 struck the contingent as the Indian cricket team had its first full training session ahead of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, here on Friday.

Friday’s session saw all the players in attendance barring Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer and Navdeep Saini, who are all in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19, attended the session.

Though the team had a light training session on Thursday, with trainers, Friday’s session was the first training session in which the players participated with full intensity. The top batters had extended stay in the nets.

Newly-appointed full-time ODI captain Rohit Sharma addressed the players before the start of the session.

The BCCI tweeted photographs of the training session. “#TeamIndia begin preps in Ahmedabad ahead of the ODI series against West Indies,” the BCCI tweet said.

The upcoming series is very important for India as they, like all other teams, are preparing the team for next year’s World Cup to be hosted by the country. India had won the home World Cup in 2011 and would be hoping to repeat the act.

With that in mind, head coach Rahul Dravid, who presided over Friday’s session, will be hoping to try some players in this series, hoping to fill in some gaps as he gets ready for making some tweaks, nips and tucks for the World Cup.

India will also hope to lift their morale after the 2-1 defeat against South Africa in the away ODI series while West Indies have reached India after winning their series against England at home.