Former India captain Rohit Sharma spent nearly an hour batting during an extended net session at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday, July 12. According to a report from Times of India, the right-handed batter focused on building rhythm and preparing for the upcoming opening ODI against England.
Seven members of India’s ODI squad trained for the second straight day while waiting for the remaining players to arrive from Southampton after the T20I series. The three-match ODI series begins in Birmingham on Tuesday, July 14, before moving to Cardiff on July 16 and concluding in London on July 19.
Rohit Sharma Completes Extended Open-Net Match Simulation
Rohit Sharma began his two-hour training session with fielding drills under the guidance of fielding coach T Dilip before moving to the nets. While Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul completed their batting sessions, Rohit waited for his turn and interacted with teammates on the sidelines.
After facing a few uncomfortable deliveries from the fast bowlers, Rohit Sharma quickly found his rhythm. He then asked the ground staff to untangle the net and create an open-net match simulation, allowing him to bat in conditions closer to a real match.
Facing throwdown specialists Nuwan Senaviratne, Dayanand Garani, and Raghavendra, Rohit repeatedly found the gaps on the off side with controlled strokeplay. He looked increasingly confident as the session progressed and wrapped up his batting after nearly an hour at around 4:15 PM.
Rohit Sharma Carries Solid ODI Form into England Series
Rohit Sharma will head into the England ODI series after playing an important role in India’s 3-0 series win over Afghanistan in June. The former India captain scored 143 runs in three innings at an average of 47.66 and a strike rate of 115.32, with his highest score of 79 coming in Chennai.
The veteran opener has also enjoyed success against England in the 50-over format. He has scored 846 runs in 23 ODIs at an average of 47.00 and a strike rate of 90.77, including three centuries and four half-centuries. His highest score against England is an unbeaten 137 at Trent Bridge.
Overall, Rohit has featured in 285 ODIs and scored 11,720 runs in 277 innings at an average of 48.83. He has registered 33 centuries and 62 half-centuries, with his highest ODI score of 264 against Sri Lanka in Kolkata. Sharma completed 14,000 List A runs during the second ODI against Afghanistan
Virat Kohli Spends Time Mentoring Young Pacer Gurnoor Brar
Virat Kohli began his practice by taking on Jasprit Bumrah, Gurnoor Brar, and a local Birmingham seamer. The former India captain looked slightly unsettled against the early seam movement before switching to the spinners, where he quickly regained his timing and control.
The batter spent a long time batting alongside Shubman Gill and KL Rahul during the high-intensity session. As the practice continued, he looked more comfortable and finished the session with several confident strokes against spin.
For the second consecutive day, Virat Kohli also took time to mentor a younger teammate after training. After sharing batting advice with Shubman Gill on Saturday, he spoke with 26-year-old fast bowler Gurnoor Brar on Sunday, offering tips after the youngster approached him for guidance.