Pitch huddle
Team India came to the SCG for a full training drill after staying in their hotel for two days with some “conditioning exercises”. But as soon as they reached the ground, a clutch of them huddled around the pitch to have a look at what it could have on offer. While skipper MS Dhoni had a long word with team director Ravi Shastri while having a look at Tom Parker’s preparation under the watchful eyes of ICC's chief of grounds and pitches committee Andy Atkinson, coach Duncan Fletcher had a word with the curator. The SCG pitch has raised concern among both camps with the Aussies publicly demanding some green on the track.
Raina’s short story
It was, perhaps, Suresh Raina’s longest net batting spell facing only short stuff , first from Sanjay Bangar, then from Duncan Fletcher and finally from the skipper himself. He batted for close to an hour at nets and all through his stint, he only faced the wet tennis bowl rising up to his chest and showing up his weakness many a time what with Dhoni troubling him with some bodyline stuff. Raina, hooked, pulled and also ducked many a time and there were also occasions when he mistimed and miscued his shots — something that may be a concern when he faces the likes of Starc, Johnson and Hazelwood.
All hopes on Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin, perhaps knowing how crucial his presence might be on Thursday against the Australians bowled long and hard at the nets, taking turns between Ravindra Jadeja and a net bowler at the extreme right of the nets. He kept flighting the ball and even managed to trouble Sharma and Kohli and also Dhawan, who took turns to face him. Though Ashwin has got only one wicket at SCG, that too in a match he played way back in 2008, Dhoni would be expecting him to fire in the Cup’s most crucial and toughest game Team India is facing.
Dhoni pensive
It was a pensive Dhoni at the nets after he returned from the middle after taking a long look at the pitch. He first stood among the spinners Ashwin and Jadeja, watching them bowl to Rohit Sharma and then had a word with Jadeja before going into a huddle with team director Ravi Shastri and also with Fletcher for a bit. After that, expecting some short ones from Starc and Johnson, he gave some tennis ball throw downs to Suresh Raina.