Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rohit puts in double shift during India’s 4-hour net session

India skipper Rohit Sharma did a double shift in the nets with plenty of fans adding colour to the visitors’ near four-hour net session at the Adelaide Oval here on Tuesday.

With strong indications of Rohit coming down the batting order to let the in-form pair of Yashasvi Jasiwal and KL Rahul continue opening the Indian innings, the captain did show a lot of resolve while facing the pink Kookaburra.

During the session, the Indian team had four nets at the practice arena. In one such net, Jasiwal and Rahul took turns to bat while Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli were in the second net.

It was the third net where Rohit was clubbed with the inimitable Rishabh Pant while the final net was occupied by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar.

If one goes by popular perception, this is India’s batting line-up from No. 1 to 8 but then the Indian skipper came at least one hour earlier along with Pant and other support staff.

As is his wont, Rohit faced a lot of side-arm throwdowns from Nuwan Seneviratne along with usual stuff from the right-arm specialist Raghavendra and Dayanand Garani.

The skipper made a conscious effort to leave deliveries on length but whenever anything short was dug in, he would pull effortlessly.

For the Australia-based Indian fans, the open session was like kids being in a candy store considering their proximity to the nets.

The Bengal fast bowling duo of Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar (reserve pacer) looked impressive during the session. While Mukesh got his deliveries to move in the air creating some sort of a challenge for Virat Kohli, Akash did ask probing questions to Gill, who looked comfortable.

India’s new pace sensation Harshit Rana also bowled briskly which must have impressed both Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel.