One of the greatest matches in cricket will take place between India and Pakistan exactly one week later, to the joy of the spectators. For Rohit Sharma & Co., the match will serve as the Asia Cup 2023 campaign opener, and they are making no effort to hold back in their preparations. The group has gathered in Alur for a conditioning camp where they are participating in rigorous physical exercises and net sessions.
The next match will be both sides’ first 50-over encounter since their last meeting in the 2019 ICC World Cup in England. In their four T20I matches over the last four years, the top-order matchup between India and Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi has generated the most discussion.
The Indian batsmen, particularly Rohit Sharma in recent years, have clearly struggled against the left-arm fast. They have only met three times in international cricket so far. In the 50-over Asia Cup 2018 encounter against Afridi, Rohit scored 19 off 18 runs on route to his match-winning century. In the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai, the southpaw made a comeback as a more experienced bowler, and he dismissed the Indian skipper for a golden duck. Rohit scored four runs off five balls in their next T20 World Cup match.
Rohit has been working out with a left-arm pacer in the Alur camp in an effort to counter Afridi in the Asia Cup. On Saturday at the KSCA facilities, the Indian skipper requested Aniket Choudhary to bowl at him while the Indian batsmen batted in match simulations.
The 33-year-old southpaw has never represented India before, and although he may not be as skilled as Afridi, his appearance would give Indian hitters a preview of what their bitter opponents would provide.
at the meanwhile, Rohit’s batting practice against Choudhary at the Alur nets was examined by former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar.
“Most teams have a right-hand attack, and the opening bowling pairs are usually right-handed,” one player said. However, the angle is extremely important when considering where you want to play as a batter because when a left-arm bowler delivers the ball inwards toward the right-hand batsman from near to the stumps, Bangar on Star Sports said.
“One should target the bowler,” he said. “For that, one has to set oneself and concentrate about scoring runs between mid-off and mid-on/mid-wicket zones.
