Team India regroup and train ahead of the Boxing-day Test

Ahead of the Boxing day Test against Australia, the Indian cricket team tried an unseen training drill that resembled a wrestling bout, with a pair of two players each seemingly striving to outdo each other.

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who will return to the team after recovering from his injury, was the first to arrive at the nets for the practice session. He was put through a fitness test as he ran between the wickets with a bat in his hand a couple of days before commencement of the 2nd Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Jadeja, who has 213 wickets and 1869 runs to his name in 49 Tests for India, had missed the final two T20Is and the first Test against the Kangaroos due to a concussion and a hamstring injury suffered during the first T20I.

One of the tour's finds, Indian pacer T Natarajan bowled well at the nets and was often seen beating the outside edge of both stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane and batsman Cheteshwar Pujara. India's current limited overs vice-captain, KL Rahul, too had a long stint at the nets along with young wicketkeeper batsman, Rishabh Pant.

As the day progressed, the think-tank comprising of the coaching staff exchanged notes with each other and also had a chat with stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane. Young Prithvi Shaw also spent time on the pitch against chainman Kuldeep Yadav.

All eyes on India's batting unit for Boxing Day Test

BCCI took to Twitter to share snaps of India's day out at the MCG earlier during the day.

We are in Melbourne and now as the red-ball Tests start, it is time to regroup. 💪 #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/aYGi2GHeta

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 23, 2020

India trail the four-match rubber 0-1 after suffering an eight-wicket defeat to the hosts in the Day/Night first Test in the Day/Night first Test in Adelaide, where the visitors collapsed to their record lowest score 36 in their record lowest score 36 in their second innings.

Stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane during a practice session at the SGG.