Virat Kohli smashes Jasprit Bumrah for a slog sweep six in the Indian Nets; roars in celebration
Team India is up and running for their first Super Eight match against Afghanistan, to be played on June 20 at Barbados. The team arrived in Barbados on Sunday night and got to work right away on Monday morning. There was an optional session but the players ensured to be present and practiced for over three hours.
According to the reports in Cricbuzz, Virat Kohli was the first to take a strike at the batting strip in the Kensington Oval complex. Kohli faced a different set of bowlers for more than 40 minutes, which included the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah. In addition, local spinners bowled to him as well.
Virat Kohli unfurls a cracking slog-sweep off Jasprit Bumrah
But the moment of the day came when Virat Kohli connected a cracking slog-sweep off Jasprit Bumrah. The shot could have been easily a six which prompted Kohli to let out his traditional roar. He raised his hands like he celebrated a century in a match.
The shot had a different significance as few have been able to hit Bumrah for a six, even in a practice session. Bumrah has been hit for just one six in the T20 World Cup 2024. Overall, he has conceded just 33 sixes in 65 T20Is.
Virat Kohli hasn't been at his best in this World Cup so far. The legendary batter has scored just 5 runs in 3 T20Is so far and was also dismissed for a golden duck in the previous game against the USA. With the Super Eight stage expected to be a crucial phase, Kohli wants to contribute towards his team's success.
His determination could be viewed by the way he practiced in the nets. He batted for hours under the beating sun and practiced a range of shots of the variety of bowlers available in the nets. Kohli showed eagerness and desire to perform in the upcoming matches, which might be a sign of danger for the opposition teams.
The 35-year-old worked hard on his slog sweep, a shot that brought him a lot of success in the IPL 2024, where he emerged as the highest run-scorer. Apart from Kohli, other batters like Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, and Hardik Pandya also practiced intensively. While Suryakumar worked on his wide range of shots, Rishabh Pant practiced his cheeky shots like sweeps and reverse sweeps. Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja were involved in extensive range hitting.
Will Kuldeep Yadav finally get a game?
Among the bowlers, there were clear signs of Kuldeep Yadav being considered for the next game. The left-arm wrist-spinner bowled for almost two hours, and could be in contention for India's first Super Eight fixture against Afghanistan. With the pitch expected to be favorable for the spinners, Kuldeep could come in for one of the pacers in the line-up.
India will play its first Super Eight game against Afghanistan in Barbados on June 20. Then, they will move to Antigua to face Bangladesh on June 22. India's last Super Eight match will be against 2021 champions Australia on June 24 in St. Lucia.
