India’s next match will be in a new field

Virat Kohli faced challenges finding his form on the challenging pitches of New York during the T20 World Cup, culminating in disappointing scores of 1, 4, and 0 in the group stage. Despite these setbacks, the Indian team remains resolute as they prepare for the Super 8s stage of the tournament in the Caribbean. During their initial practice session in the West Indies, Kohli, alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, dedicated extra effort to make a meaningful impact in the upcoming crucial matches.

India's next encounter is scheduled against Afghanistan at the renovated Kensington Oval on Thursday. Known for his resilience, Kohli is anticipated by experts and fans alike to deliver when it matters most during the Super 8s and subsequent knockout stages.

Jadeja has experienced a subdued tournament thus far, with limited opportunities to showcase his batting and bowling skills on the pace-oriented surfaces in New York. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav, who has yet to feature in the tournament, is expected to play a pivotal role in the Caribbean, where spinners traditionally excel.

The entire Indian squad participated in the practice session after a weather-induced break in Fort Lauderdale. The session was crucial as the team had not trained or played since completing their New York leg on June 12.

The pitches in New York were criticised for being difficult to play on, shifting the focus to the Caribbean venues, where conditions are expected to be more favourable for batting. In this World Cup, scores of 200, typical in the IPL, have been rare, and even 150 has often been a challenging total.

During the practice session, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma inquired about the practice pitches from his teammates, specifically asking lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah about the conditions. Bumrah seemed satisfied with the surfaces provided for training.

Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja had an intense batting session, with Kohli spending at least 30 minutes facing throwdowns before batting against Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya. The Indian team is keen to use these practice sessions to adapt to the Caribbean conditions and make a strong push in the Super 8s.

The Indian team is determined to turn things around and perform at their best as they move into the next phase of the tournament.