The highly anticipated Asia Cup 2023, which will begin on August 30, Team India is gearing up with a dedicated six-day conditioning camp. The stunning Three Ovals campus located in Alur, controlled by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), will play host to this preparation event. The primary purpose of this camp is to carefully examine the fitness levels of all the cricketers. This initiative comes at a vital moment as the squad readies itself for a significant phase ahead, with its sights firmly set on the impending ODI World Cup 2023.
Presently, there’s a rigorous check of KL Rahul’s fitness as the wicketkeeper-batsman is dealing with a minor injury. This might cause him to miss out on a couple of matches at the forthcoming Asia Cup. The head selection, Ajit Agarkar, has stated that Rahul is experiencing a new minor injury. As a result, Sanju Samson is on standby and will step in if Rahul isn’t able to play. However, the good news is that Rahul is anticipated to recuperate well before the Super Four stage. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) coaches are happy with his progress in batting and wicket-keeping practice sessions.
As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, the NCA’s medical team is believed to be happy with Rahul’s batting workload but is carefully monitoring his wicketkeeping load.
“He is understood to have complained of soreness after one of the practice matches organised by the NCA last week,” it said.
“The camp also aims to serve as an exercise in team bonding before the focus shifts to the final stages of World Cup preparation,” it further added.
Shreyas Iyer is also in the limelight at the moment. The middle-order batter had been sidelined owing to a back problem not too long ago. There were worries about his availability for the Asia Cup. Nevertheless, he has put in a lot of effort throughout his training at the NCA and has managed to restore full health just in time to secure a berth in the Asia Cup squad. However, the training camp in Alur bears enormous importance for Shreyas. The selectors have inserted Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma into the mix, generating competition and putting pressure on Shreyas to consolidate his status in the playing XI.
The report also mentioned that Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Samson are slated to join the camp on Friday. They’re likely to arrive in Bengaluru late on Thursday. Despite their engagement in the T20I series against Ireland, they’ll be attending the camp directly. The subsequent sessions, commencing on August 25, will see players split into groups for outdoor fitness and skill-focused programs.
Meanwhile, players who weren’t part of the Ireland series received customized dietary programs and personalized fitness assessments for a stretch of two weeks. The administration has demonstrated a strong interest in managing the workload effectively for all players, taking in mind the approaching two important tournaments.
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