MS Dhoni skips practice, Ishant fit again
14 Aug 2014 5:38 AM IST
However, the Indian team received a major boost ahead of their must-win game, as medium-pacer Ishant Sharma was deemed fit again. The hosts lead the five-match series 2-1 after four Tests, with the visitors having crashed to an innings-and-54-run defeat at Manchester within three days in the fourth game.
Since then, this was the first time this touring squad took to the nets. Rain came incessantly in Manchester after their surrender on day three on August 9 and the players kept to the team hotel taking some time off from cricket. They travelled back to London yesterday and today looked to regain some energy and spirit going into the final Test, starting Friday.
For one man though, three days off weren’t enough. Dhoni missed the practice session and the official word from the team management was the skipper was just taking some rest and spending time with his family after the nearly five-hour bus journey the day prior. In his absence, coach Duncan Fletcher and vice-captain Virat Kohli led the team in practice.
The Delhi seamer Sharma returned to London before the rest of the squad and had a session at the Oval on Tuesday. He bowled for a long duration during nets on Wednesday as well.
The final decision on his fitness will, in probability, be taken on Thursday when Dhoni is expected to come to the net session. The last time Sharma was the part of the playing eleven, he turned out to be the key player in India’s 95-run win in the second Test. If he is assessed fit to play in the final Test, the Indian pace attack, which has looked light-weight in Sharma’s absence, would get a major boost.
The English team is sufficiently fit and rested as the entire squad regrouped and practiced hard two days before the match. The only absentee from the nets was speedster Stuart Broad, who is nursing a broken nose after being hit by Varun Aaron at Old Trafford. However, the management said that the injury will not be hampering his availability for the final game with England looking to close out a first Test-series win in a year.
Since then, this was the first time this touring squad took to the nets. Rain came incessantly in Manchester after their surrender on day three on August 9 and the players kept to the team hotel taking some time off from cricket. They travelled back to London yesterday and today looked to regain some energy and spirit going into the final Test, starting Friday.
For one man though, three days off weren’t enough. Dhoni missed the practice session and the official word from the team management was the skipper was just taking some rest and spending time with his family after the nearly five-hour bus journey the day prior. In his absence, coach Duncan Fletcher and vice-captain Virat Kohli led the team in practice.
The Delhi seamer Sharma returned to London before the rest of the squad and had a session at the Oval on Tuesday. He bowled for a long duration during nets on Wednesday as well.
The final decision on his fitness will, in probability, be taken on Thursday when Dhoni is expected to come to the net session. The last time Sharma was the part of the playing eleven, he turned out to be the key player in India’s 95-run win in the second Test. If he is assessed fit to play in the final Test, the Indian pace attack, which has looked light-weight in Sharma’s absence, would get a major boost.
The English team is sufficiently fit and rested as the entire squad regrouped and practiced hard two days before the match. The only absentee from the nets was speedster Stuart Broad, who is nursing a broken nose after being hit by Varun Aaron at Old Trafford. However, the management said that the injury will not be hampering his availability for the final game with England looking to close out a first Test-series win in a year.
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