The Indian team has begun full-scale preparations for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, which starts on January 11. Team India held an intense practice session in Vadodara, where every player put in the hard yards. However, one moment from training stood out—head coach Gautam Gambhir spending extra time working closely with Kuldeep Yadav.

Gambhir focuses on Kuldeep’s batting

Interestingly, Gambhir’s focus was not on Kuldeep’s bowling, but on improving his batting. The head coach personally monitored Kuldeep’s batting practice for nearly half an hour. Gambhir was seen giving detailed inputs, especially on footwork and shot selection, and later had an extended one-on-one conversation with the left-arm spinner.

Kuldeep’s limited batting ability has often worked against him, with Team India preferring an all-rounder in certain matches. If Kuldeep can strengthen his batting under Gambhir’s guidance, it could significantly improve his chances of being a regular in the playing XI and give India more flexibility in team selection.

Virat and Rohit also put in the hard work

While Gambhir was busy sharpening other players, senior stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were also seen training with great intensity.

Virat Kohli focused heavily on fitness, doing plenty of running before moving to the nets, where he played some crisp and confident shots. Rohit Sharma, the world’s No.1 ODI batsman, also looked sharp during his batting practice, showing good timing and control.

Pitch expected to favour batters

The pitch at Kotambi Stadium is expected to assist batters, which raises hopes of big scores in the series. With both Rohit and Virat appearing to be in good touch, fans can expect strong performances from the senior duo.

What lies ahead

With Gautam Gambhir demanding intensity, Kuldeep Yadav working on his weak points, and experienced batters like Kohli and Rohit looking in rhythm, Team India seems well-prepared for the New Zealand challenge. Now, all eyes will be on how this hard work translates into performances once the ODI series gets underway.