India tour of England: Arshdeep Singh reveals rhythm and red ball the focus as Team India begins Test prep

NEW DELHI: "Upar khula aasman, thandi thandi hawa, saath me suraj ki tapas, aur haath me red cherry. Welcome to Kent!" quipped Arshdeep Singh, setting the tone for what was a picturesque and purposeful training day for Team India in England.

With less than two weeks to go before the five-Test series against England begins in Leeds, Team India has begun red-ball preparations in earnest. On Monday, the BCCI shared visuals from the outdoor net session at Beckenham, offering a peek into both the scenery and the squad's renewed red-ball focus — especially after months of white-ball cricket.

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For left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, the return to Kent was something of a homecoming. "I felt really good coming here; it feels homely," he said in the video shared by the BCCI. "I’ve spent two months here, and it’s been quite enjoyable. It’s a small place, very peaceful, not too crowded. The best place when you need peace of mind."


The highlight of Monday’s session, Arshdeep revealed, was regaining rhythm with the red ball. "The main goal of today's training was to get into a rhythm, to feel how the body is responding, and how the red ball is being released from the hand since all the players have been playing with the white ball for a while," he explained. "It was a lot of fun. As we continue, the intensity will increase, making it more challenging for the batsmen."

Arshdeep also highlighted the competitiveness during the net session, praising the batters. "It was enjoyable with the batters; they were quite compact. We had to work hard with a proper plan to try and get them out. Sai [Sudharsan] looked solid. The skipper was in good form. I’ll try to keep this banter going and aim to get them out many times," he said.




Asked about working alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep added with humility: "Whenever I hold the ball, I feel like ‘I am the best.’ But everyone knows that when you’re in an attack with a player like Bumrah, there’s no room for comparison. The main focus is how we can improve each other’s game and benefit the team."

India’s training included drills for Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja, with fielding coach T Dilip also leading a sharp catching session. With the Test series promising a fresh era in Indian red-ball cricket, preparation in the calm of Kent could prove invaluable.