After three days in the WACA nets, India stepped up their preparations a week ahead of the series opener at Optus Stadium with an XI featuring their top stars in the middle against a team filled mostly with fringe and Indian players TO.
Jaiswal started aggressively with a belligerent drive through the sheets, but in the 15th over he managed a second slip in what would become a common sight during a simulation that lasted two and a half hours before lunch.
Amid reports that he has undergone scans in recent days, Kohli looked in good shape and played a couple of superb shots through the sheets. But in the 15th over he beat seamer Mukesh Kumar at second slip before spending about 30 minutes in the near nets.
Short-pitch bowling had been a priority for India’s batsmen on Thursday, with the local club quicks unleashing great pace while some batsmen took part in a drill in which a tennis ball was shot from close range aiming at their heads.
So far, the WACA surface in this simulation has had considerably less bounce and carry than Sheffield Shield matches this season. But there has been some movement over a length and India’s batsmen looked poor.
No. 3 Shubman Gill started slowly and struggled to get strike during his two-hour stay in the crease. He began to look more comfortable before the 28th over fended off a short and long delivery from quick Navdeep Saini, who celebrated wildly.
The rare sight at the WACA of spin from both ends occurred just before the interval with Washington Sundar and Tanush Kotian bowling in tandem as the batting side reached the break at 106 for 5 after 28 overs.
