Shubman Gill's Thrilling Training Session in Canberra: Battling Pink Ball & Injury Comeback

As reported by ESPN, Shubman Gill started his training session in Canberra with a relaxed approach. He headed to the back of the nets facility, where throwdowns were the only option.

For a few minutes, he was in full freestyle mode – playing big drives and elegant back-foot punches.

But it wasn’t long before he decided to work on his technique. Asking assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate for help, Gill shifted focus to his defensive game.

The balls started coming in at a good length, and he made sure to meet them under his eyes. It was clear the thumb injury from Perth wasn’t a major issue anymore.

Gill moved from throwdowns to sidearm deliveries, and eventually faced full-speed balls from Akash Deep and Yash Dayal.

“He’s batting well,” said assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. “Our physio will evaluate him, but from what I see, he looks comfortable. He can bat in a match.”

The team would know soon if he was ready for the practice match.

India arrived in Canberra on Wednesday night to a warm welcome from fans. The team met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before settling into their training routine. Despite heavy rain disrupting their session, India focused on preparing for the pink ball challenge ahead.

Batting practice was intense. Yashasvi Jaiswal, still adjusting to the conditions, got struck on the pads. Ravindra Jadeja was quick with a tease, “That ball swung away, didn’t it?” It was a reminder of the challenge India faces in day-night Tests, which often favor bowlers.

Nayar explained the difference the pink ball brings, but emphasized it’s all about mindset. “We’ve been preparing for this. Even in Perth, we trained with the pink ball,” he said. “We have six to eight days to get ready, and we’ll keep focusing on our game.”

India has played only four pink-ball Tests, the last in March 2022. This time, however, the mood was different. The team’s morale was high, especially after their dominant win in Perth. Even fringe players got involved, having fun with a football game between drills. Sarfaraz Khan, despite struggling, joined in the laughter.

Rohit Sharma, back after the birth of his second child, brought added energy to the squad. He had been training with the pink ball in Perth and continued his work in Adelaide. Although a bit rusty at times, his classic shots were still there.

“When Rohit’s around, there’s always laughter,” Nayar said. “The morale is excellent. Even when he wasn’t with us physically, he was with us in spirit.'' The session had a light atmosphere, with Heat Waves by Glass Animals playing and Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings featured on the big screen.

Rishabh Pant spent most of his time running the outfield, while KL Rahul did sprints. Virat Kohli, ever the perfectionist, attracted the fans’ attention. He was frustrated with a few edges but smiled when he found the middle of the bat. He even gave a thumbs up to Mukesh Kumar after a delivery went past his edge.

Jaiswal, who had worked hard all day, switched gears to try fast bowling. Running in from the boundary, he nearly got Dhruv Jurel out on a leave, with the ball just missing the stumps. But fast bowling wasn’t for him. “Being a fast bowler is hard work, yaar,” he laughed. Then he padded up to face more throwdowns.