Virat Kohli Gears Up For Sri Lanka ODIs Under Gautam Gambhir's Guidance

Virat Kohli showcased his full intensity during a net session under the guidance of India's new head coach, Gautam Gambhir. This practice took place ahead of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting on August 2 in Colombo.

In a video shared by BCCI on August 1, Kohli appeared fresh and eager to make a strong return. The former India captain was seen hitting a Kuldeep Yadav delivery for a six over mid-wicket. Gambhir seemed quite impressed as he watched the ball sail out of the ground.

The video also captured Shreyas Iyer attempting a reverse sweep before bowling in the intense net session. Iyer is making his return to the Indian squad after being excluded from BCCI's central contract list.

BCCI (@BCCI) August 1, 2024

Kohli spent considerable time conversing with Gambhir and both observed KL Rahul batting in the nets. Captain Rohit Sharma also appeared in top form, facing deliveries from Kuldeep and Harshit Rana without holding back.

Gambhir was pleased to see the small group of Indian players showing no signs of rust despite not playing cricket for several months. While Kohli, Rohit, and Kuldeep were part of India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Harshit Rana last played in IPL 2024.

The players who participated in the preceding T20I series against Sri Lanka were absent from this evening practice session. India had won that T20I series 3-0 under Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy. However, Surya, Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rinku Singh are not included in the ODI squad.

This net session indicates that India is gearing up with full preparation for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka. The team's focus on both batting and bowling drills suggests they are leaving no stone unturned to perform well.