BENGALURU: The newly operational BCCI Centre of Excellence here transformed into a hub for Indian men's cricket on Saturday. The domestic season opener, Duleep Trophy quarterfinal matches, which began on Thursday, have attracted several international players.
Some, like Akashdeep Singh, Sai Sudharsan, and Mayank Yadav have been undergoing rehabilitation at the facility.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!They were joined by prominent Indian cricketers, most of whom are preparing for the Asia Cup, as they undergo pre-season fitness tests under strength and conditioning coach Adrian le Roux, who joined the team ahead of the England series.
The spotlight on Saturday was on India's ODI captain,
Rohit Sharma. The 38-year-old, who currently plays only the One-Day format, is expected to participate in India's three-match away series against Australia.
Discussions are ongoing about the experienced campaigner, who hasn't played since the Mumbai Indians' IPL game against Punjab Kings on June 1, potentially appearing for India 'A' against Australia 'A' in Kanpur from September 30 to October 5.
After completing his pre-season fitness tests, Rohit is expected to practice at the facility for a few days before returning to Mumbai. His last ODI appearance was in the title-winning Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in Dubai in March.
As Rohit turned up for the fitness assessment, the question that lingered was: When will
Virat Kohli come?
Joining Rohit on Saturday were pace bowler
Jasprit Bumrah, Test skipper
Shubman Gill, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Siraj, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Jitesh Sharma arrived on Friday. Some players, like Thakur, who will lead West Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinals starting September 4, are likely to stay longer, while Gill, who pulled out as North Zone captain due to illness, along with a few others, is expected to depart for Dubai for the Asia Cup from here.
On the day, some players took the opportunity to watch the Duleep Trophy matches and interact with fellow cricketers.
Catch Lovlina Borgohain's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5. Watch HereManuja Veerappa, Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, h...
Read MoreManuja Veerappa, Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, has dedicated over half of her 22-year journalism career to the publication. Specializing in
cricket and hockey, she has covered major sporting events including World Cups, the Commonwealth Games, and world championships in billiards and snooker.
Known for her compelling human-interest stories, she has traveled extensively across Karnataka to spotlight untold talent and their journeys. An internationally
published sportswriter and former national-level hockey player for Karnataka, Manuja is a true-blue Bengalurean who also writes on the city’s culture and life, blending deep reporting with a passion for storytelling.
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