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Cricket PlayersShubman Gill exposed by local bowler in rare blemish as Samson rests; Abhishek rains 25 sixes to light up Asia Cup buzz
Abhishek Sharma relied on hand-eye coordination to send deliveries soaring into the orbit, many of which landed well outside the practice venue.
After more than a year, Shubman Gill is all set to play his first T20 international game when India begin their campaign in the 2025 Asia Cup against the UAE at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday. Gill, who last played the format in July 2024, in the tour of Sri Lanka, right after the end of the T20 World Cup in the West Indies, was named as the vice-captain for the tournament, which more so confirmed his position on the playing XI. However, on the eve of the opener in Dubai, Gill incurred a rare blemish.
According to a report in the PTI, Gill looked in good touch in the optional training day at the ICC Academy, caressing quick bowlers inside-out over extra cover with his trademark grace. However, there was one moment of concern when a local net bowler shocked the India star with a thunderbolt that sneaked past his defences and uprooted the off-stump. It was a rare blemish in an otherwise perfect batting session.
On the other hand, his supposed opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, fired a warning to all of India's Asia Cup opponents as he rained sixes in his hour-long training session, exhibiting his range-hitting. The report mentioned that he "clobbered at least 25 to 30 sixes, making it nearly impossible for those watching to take their eyes off." The left-hander did not muscle the ball, but relied solely on hand-eye coordination to send deliveries soaring into the orbit, many of which landed well outside the practice venue.
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Sanju Samson skips grind
With Gill's return, it was always speculated that Sanju Samson would miss out on the opportunity to find a place in the playing XI. He did put in his efforts with his fiery performances in the Kerala Cricket League, where he even batted at No. 6, but the last two practice sessions in Dubai clearly hinted at head coach Gautam Gambhir's preference.
On Monday, Samson did not get to bat during the main training session, and rather cut a lonely figure at the practice ground. On the other hand, Jitesh Sharma's confidence in his strides and relaxed approach in the nets showed that he would take over the finishing responsibility in the batting line-up, and don the gloves for wicketkeeping duty.
The RCB star continued his grind on Wednesday as Samson skipped the training session along with other senior players Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and fast bowler Harshit Rana.
Under fielding coach T. Dilip, Jitesh sharpened his 'no-look' catching drills — a routine where the keeper stands with hands parallel to the ground as the coach drops the ball from close range. The challenge is to pluck the ball inches before it touches the ground without watching its trajectory, purely relying on instinct and reaction time.
