MS Dhoni puts in hard yards ahead of ODIs vs Lanka
MUMBAI: The Indian cricket team has been at its best in Sri Lanka, and the hosts have found the challenge of getting better of the world’s No 1 Test side tough.
India lead the three-match affair 2-0, and the third Test at Pallekele, starting Saturday, is expected to go the visitors’ way unless Sri Lanka can improve.
Come the limited-overs assignments — five ODIs and one-off T20I — the hosts are set to find the challenge of beating this India team in their backyard even more difficult, with several reinforcements set to join the visiting side.
Yuvraj Singh had posted a few videos a few days back of him working out in the gym, and on Friday, Mahendra Singh Dhoni joined him in doing so.
Dhoni, the former India captain, shared an Instagram post on Friday, showing the fitness tests he and a few others took at the NCA.
The India team’s fitness tests have become even more stringent in the last one year or so.
RIGOUROUS
Dhoni and a few others, such as Kedar Jadhav and Suresh Raina, are currently at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bangalore, preparing for the Sri Lanka ODIs.
While Dhoni and Jadhav are certainties for the tour, for Raina, it still appears to be a long road back to the India side.
Raina last played an ODI for India in October 2015, whereas his last appearance in the T20I format was against England earlier this year.
He was not a part of India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy but was one of the five members on the standby list.
“What can I say now? It’s really disappointing and hurting. I was expecting a comeback call. Ihavebeenperformingwell and consistently, proving myself in the IPL season. Certainly it is not on the expected lines but I would let my bat do the talking as I am sure of my comeback in the Indian squad one day,” Raina had told Hindustan Times after he learnt about his exclusion for the ‘mini World Cup’.
The tour will also give Jadhav — if selected — another chance to consolidate his position for which Raina will also be vying. With a few gritty knocks down the order and giving breakthroughs with his economical bowling, Jadhav has been a revelation this year.