India has been in a state of workout ahead of the pink-ball Test match against Australia in Adelaide, and an injury emerged, worrying news about the probables. There were raised eyebrows over the fitness of star batter Virat Kohli, whose knee was bandaged. However, Kohli was a part of the session and went through fielding practice as well as went through some net practice sessions where his conditions did not reveal themselves.
There further questions emerged about Kohli’s knee bandage, but he looked to be in good form, doing full stretching for his fielding practice and sprinting between wickets well. The 36-year-old also practiced infront of the pink ball while facing deliveries to understand the conditions of the upcoming day-night Test. Although the injury does not appear to be critical, the Indian team management could well exercise caution so that he is fit to play in the second Test in which his inclusion might prove decisive.
Striking an irony, Kohli missed the warm-up game against the Prime Minister’s XI playing instead a practice match in the net. He also bowled against Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and spin ace Ravichandran Ashwin, which will also suggest his preparations for the Test.
Kohli has been particularly brilliant at the Adelaide Oval. In 8 innings, he scored 509 runs at an average of 63.62, with three centuries and one half-century. He now stands only one Test century from breaking England’s Jack Hobbs’ record of centuries scored by any foreign batsman at this ground.
The pink ball also did not pose a problem for Kohli in the first-ever day-night Test cricket, where Virat had 277 runs overall in six innings with an average of 46.16, with one century against Bangladesh in 2019 with a pink ball at Kolkata. As is expected, his form and fitness will be for India because they want to counter the tough weather in Adelaide and end up on the favourable side of the result.
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