India captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul served as the only designated batters to train outdoors during an extensive three-hour morning session. Rahul also managed wicketkeeping drills before facing local spinners and seamers alongside Gill on the centre wicket. Meanwhile, senior figures like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli avoided outdoor batting, and several fast bowlers rested following heavy previous workloads. The full squad will finally unite for a joint practice on Tuesday ahead of the opener.
Key points
India's squad engaged in split preparation routines with senior players managing workload…: India's squad engaged in split preparation routines with senior players managing workloads ahead of the five-match series opener.
KL Rahul combined batting practice with wicketkeeping drills alongside Shubman Gill again…: KL Rahul combined batting practice with wicketkeeping drills alongside Shubman Gill against local bowlers on the centre wicket.
The entire traveling contingent will gather for a solitary joint afternoon training sessi…: The entire traveling contingent will gather for a solitary joint afternoon training session on Tuesday before the series begins.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
AUCKLAND: Volume has always been the keyword when it comes to
Shubman Gill's preparations for a fixture. Whether it is the IPL, ODIs or Tests, there is no compromise on the number of deliveries he faces, the sprints he completes or the big hits he unleashes.
It was no different on Monday at Eden Park, where the India captain had another marathon net session. It began with gentle throwdowns and culminated in an extended fielding session with spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule. For close to three hours, Gill, who had skipped Sunday's session, made the most of the morning and ensured he reached his desired workload.
While fast bowlers Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi were given a breather after bowling lengthy spells the previous day, a combination of local spinners and fast bowlers worked hard to provide batting practice to Gill and KL Rahul, the only two designated batters to turn up at the nets.
The centre wicket remained the focus of most of the action, with Rahul beginning his session by donning the big gloves. The experienced wicketkeeper-batter…
A 2-0 defeat to Chelsea has left the Old Trafford club sitting 17th in the Premier League table, hovering directly above the drop zone purely on goal difference. The result extends a nine-match winless streak, marking the side's poorest run of form since 1984. Entering such a negative cycle against high-caliber domestic competition makes escaping the danger area exceptionally challenging.
Authorities in New South Wales established the specialized Armed Response Command to safeguard high-density public venues following a mass shooting that claimed 15 lives during a Jewish celebration. The unprecedented deployment aims to drastically cut response times during active armed threats. However, placing military-grade weaponry into regular public spaces has sparked immediate criticism from civil liberties groups regarding police militarization.
Tourism authorities are launching a novel matchmaking initiative designed to showcase the nation's regional culinary heritage during the winter season. Organized by Business Finland and Visit Finland, the project pairs international food enthusiasts with local singles over curated tasting menus. Selected guests will explore local winter landscapes while sampling indigenous ingredients prepared by prominent national chefs.