Virat Kohli playing with a puppy© X (formerly known as Twitter)
The Indian cricket team is gearing up for the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2023 with their first match against Pakistan on Sunday. The group stage between the two traditional rivals was abandoned due to rain, but the Rohit Sharmaled side booked their place in the Super 4 with a comfortable win over Nepal. With pre-match intensity high, some players had a light moment when a puppy entered the stadium during their training. The cricketers were playing football and when they saw the puppy, they included it in their game. In a photo that has gone viral on social media, Virat Kohli can be seen petting and playing with the puppy.
Able to KL Rahul keep wickets for the entire duration of an ODI? That question has gathered steam after his inclusion in India’s squad for the ongoing Asia Cup and the upcoming World Cup. But on Friday, Rahul might have answered a few skeptics as he stuck to the nets for nearly 45 minutes.
Although Rahul has batted quite fluently at the NCA match simulation process and at the nets here, his wicketkeeping remained a subject of speculation.
King Kohli plays with a puppy in the training session.
Video of the day! pic.twitter.com/tSR0oyBYYT
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) 8 September 2023
Rahul’s intense practice at the nets might also have increased his chance of being included in India’s playing XI for the Super 4 match against Pakistan on Sunday. Rahul last played for India in an ODI match against Australia in Chennai in March this year.
A puppy walked into the training session in India – Virat Kohli showed his love for him. (Dainik Jagran). pic.twitter.com/J0Sp3MU6Am
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) 8 September 2023
Going through different scenarios of a match was the crux of Rahul’s practice at the Premadasa Stadium on Friday.
The session started with Rahul standing up to the stumps as two support staff performed the duties of batter and bowler, a simulation of sticking to spinners.
Rahul was given a test to collect the ball outside the off-stump and the 31-year-old also managed to squat for the entire duration of the practice without much discomfort.
It could have given the team management a vivid indication of Rahul’s recovery from a niggle which was unrelated to the right thigh injury that required surgery and rehabilitation.
(With PTI inputs)
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