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Moving from the more brief versions to the requirements of red-ball cricket is a process, and India captain Shubman Gill was nearly one and a half hour at the nets, working on his technique before India’s first Test against South Africa, which will be played on Friday at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.
The first blood is with the Proteas who are coming to India full of confidence after a tough but impressive 1-1 draw in Pakistan last month under difficult conditions – a result that demonstrated their toughness in the subcontinent, where they are less familiar.
Shubman Gill works to regain rhythm; Jaiswal, Sudharsan in focus ahead of India vs South Africa Test series
Back to leading the Test side, Gill looked determined to rediscover his rhythm after a lean white-ball phase. The right-hander, who struck a fifty and an unbeaten century in the two-Test home series against the West Indies that India swept last month, managed just one score above 50 — a 46 at Carrara Oval — from eight innings across formats in Australia.
Before the nets session, head coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak were seen having a long chat with Gill near the High Court end, likely discussing his batting approach. The skipper later joined teammates for slip-fielding drills before padding up alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal for an intense net session.
Gill began with spin, facing Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, playing mostly along the ground with the occasional sweep. Moving to the pace nets, he handled Jasprit Bumrah for a few overs before Nitish Kumar Reddy and local club bowlers tested him with seam movement. A support staff member later delivered throwdowns from height to simulate extra bounce and pace.
After over an hour in the side nets, Gill shifted to the central wicket for another 30 minutes of throwdowns under the watchful eyes of bowling coach Morne Morkel, who even rolled his arm over to generate sharp bounce.
Fresh from scores of 67 and 156 for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy, Jaiswal also spent considerable time in the middle, looking fluent as he drove and pulled with assurance.
Spotlight on Sai Sudharsan and the No. 3 question
Among batters, Sai Sudharsan stood out for his extended net session. The Tamil Nadu youngster, who scored 84 runs in two unofficial Tests for India A against South Africa A, continues to receive backing from the team management for the No. 3 spot. However, with only a 61 against England and 87 against the West Indies in his short Test career, the position remains open for debate.
His India A teammates — KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj — skipped the optional session, having just joined the squad after a demanding series in Bengaluru. Sudharsan, though, batted with intensity, facing pacers, spinners, and throwdowns at the central strip.
The No. 3 spot remains a major talking point, especially with Dhruv Jurel in prolific form. There’s growing speculation that Jurel could feature purely as a batter, with Rishabh Pant set to return to wicketkeeping duties after injury.
Jurel, who averages 47.77 in Tests and scored his maiden hundred against the West Indies, has been in red-hot domestic form, registering three centuries in his last five first-class matches — including twin tons against South Africa A.
Among pacers, only Bumrah turned up for the optional practice. He bowled lightly to two stumps for about 15 minutes, targeting the off stump, before batting briefly and interacting with teammates. Though he sported light strapping on his right knee, he bowled under the supervision of Gambhir and Morkel without visible discomfort.
Team management inspects pitch conditions
After nearly three hours of training, head coach Gambhir, assistant coach Kotak, bowling coach Morkel, and captain Gill gathered for an extended pitch inspection. Morkel and Gill examined the surface’s firmness before holding a 15-minute discussion with curator Sujan Mukherjee. Judging by their expressions, the management appeared slightly concerned about the track’s nature.
The surface looked brown with light patches of grass. In the two Ranji Trophy games played here earlier this season, pacers Akash Deep and Mohammed Shami found little early assistance before Shami’s reverse swing came into play later. CAB president Sourav Ganguly has already clarified that the team management has not requested a “rank turner.”
South Africa, meanwhile, boast a well-balanced attack in both pace and spin. If Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen lead the fast-bowling charge, the spin trio of Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, and Senuran Muthusamy were outstanding in Pakistan — sharing 33 wickets between them across two Tests. Muthusamy, who also scored 106 runs, was named Player of the Series.
(By PTI Inputs)
