BANGALORE: Just ahead of their second match of the World Cup, the Indian cricket team had a new batsman to be fitted into the ba*tting order. And the competition between the two left-handers, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, even became sti*f*fer. Or so one thought.

For at the nets, Sachin Tendulkar batted left-handed and clouted the bowlers from the National Cricket Academy doing duty at the ‘nets’ for a coup*le of clean ‘over the line’ lofts. For whatever it was meant, it was rather surprising to see Te*ndulkar bat not just left-ha*n*ded but also without his pr*o*p*er batting gear. He neither had his gloves on nor was he pa*dded up. The bowlers had little quality and, as such, the risk of being hit on the shin was all the more. Nevertheless, after stroking about a dozen de*liveries or so, Tendulkar left the crease. Mahendra Singh Dh*oni had just got back to the pavilion. Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan and Sreesanth were wa*iting for turns in spells.

In fact, the focus of the session was on the long handle or so it seemed. Whenever the bo*wlers bowled flat, Yuvraj was seen gesturing to them to give it a little more air. They obliged and the southpaw used his feet well to clout them to the stadi*um roof tops time and again. Yuvraj’s timing and footwork suggested that he was raring to go against England. Of cour*se he knows fully well that the stuff that he will have to enco*unter will be far different. But his approach to have a heave surely served notice of his incl*i*nation to touch the roof on Su*nday too.

Dhoni and Pathan tried the same. Sreesanth was also arou*nd, probably with the coach looking for his contribution lo*wer down the order should the need arise. The training se*ssion, which began at 10 am sharp, lasted almost for three hours. Catching and fielding practice occupied the bigger amount of time. Coach Gary Kirsten might have surely noticed that fielding wasn’t that sharp in the inaugural game ag*ainst Bangaldesh despite the big victory. Dhoni had admitted that fielding has to improve and about 10-15 runs should have been cut away.

Kirsten spent more time wi*th players such as Suresh Rai*na, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Ko*h*li and Yusuf Pathan.

Virender Sehwag did not jo*in the team’s training sessio*ns on Wednesday while off-spinner Harbhajan Singh also cho*se to keep away. Zaheer Kh*an and Ashish Nehra had light wo*rkouts.

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