Australia vs India 2018-19: Weather Forces Team India to Train Indoor Ahead of the Sydney ODI

Updated - 10 Jan 2019, 03:39 PM

MS Dhoni, Bharat Arun
MS Dhoni and Bharat Arun (Credits: Twitter)

The rain gods once again came into play at Sydney which has affected the preparation for Indian National Cricket team ahead of the first one-day internationals on January 12 (Saturday).

After a successful stint in the Border-Gavaskar series, Virat Kohli & Co will look to continue their dominance in the fifty-over format as well. In a bid to do that, the visiting started their preparations from Thursday. But rain played spoilsport as Team India players had to practice indoors at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

It was bright and sunny on Wednesday as the likes of MS Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan, Kedar Jadhav, and Ambati Rayudu sweated it out at an optional training session with batting coach Sanjay Bangar, but they had to change their plans on Thursday. The quartet primarily took throwdowns as no specialist bowlers from the squad were present for this optional session.

BCCI

While Dhawan and Rayudu prepared with both the right and left arm throwdown specialists, Dhoni worked in the indoor nets with assistant coach Sanjay Bangar. Jadhav alternated between the two nets’ options. And with the ICC World Cup in view, the focus will shift to white ball cricket as they will look to settle their playing XI.

MS Dhoni batted in the nets along with Ambati Rayudu, both of whom had reached Sydney along with the rest of the one-day squad on Tuesday.

Watch the video here:

Indian National Cricket team have a long white-ball season lined up ahead of the World Cup in England and Wales this summer. They will play three ODIs in Australia and another five ODIs in New Zealand along with a three-match T20I series there as well.

Australia then visit India for a return leg of five ODIs and two T20Is, before the 2019 Indian Premier League season gets underway on March 23.