Xtra Time Web Desk: The Indian cricket team started their preparations for the upcoming ICC World Test Championships Final against Australia to be played at the Oval from June 7-11. The likes of Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav were presented along with Head Coach Rahul Dravid, batting coach Vikram Rathour, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey and fielding coach TP Dileep. All the members of the Indian team were in their new adidas practice kit. According to the pictures shared by the BCCI on its Twitter handle, it looks like a college or university campus. Although Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin are with the squad in London, they did not turn up for training.
Both Umesh and Shardul had niggles during the IPL 2023. So, the focus was to get them back to shape.
The first batch of the Indian test squad are already in London. Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav along with the team’s support staff led by Rahul Dravid reached London on Tuesday. Net bowlers Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep and Aniket Chaudhary were also part of the first batch.
Cheteshwar Pujara, currently leading Sussex in the County Championship, will join the Indian squad later in the week to be a part of the preparations. On May 29, after the IPL final, the rest of the 15-member squad, along with reserves Suryakumar Yadav and Ruturaj Gaikwad, will set off for London.
Skipper Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Mohammad Shami, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja and K S Bharat are among the players who are now in India for the IPL 2023 playoffs. They will reach London after the IPL 2023 Final on May 28.
India’s squad for WTC final: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk).