India focus on spin ahead of Pakistan clash

Kolkata,18 March। India might have had their problems against spin but that is exactly what the Indian batsmen chose to face at the nets on Friday ahead of the high-voltage World T20 clash here against Pakistan.

In India's lung-opener at Nagpur on Tuesday, New Zealand were able to spin a web around the Indians. On a turning track India failed to chase down the opponents total of 126 and were bowled out for a paltry 79. The New Zealand spinners accounted for nine Indian batsmen with Mitchell Santner picking up 4/11.

Two days later, the likes of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh took guard against the tweakers in the side at the net sessions here. Both batsmen clubbed a few big ones some of which landed in the stands putting unsuspecting fans in danger.

Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja all rolled their arms over and bowled to the duo for around 30 minutes. Dhoni and Yuvraj took turns to face them.

India's middle order talisman Virat Kohli had a go as well at the nets. The 27-year-old looked in good touch and smashed anything which was short or too full.

Later, he came out in shorts to hit a few throw downs.

"We will relook on our batting approach after the World Cup. Not the right time to have a look at it. It is now about fine tuning the strategies and trusting them going into the game. We just cannot change the whole lot," off-spinners Ravichandran Ashwin had said in the pre-match media conference.

All the other Indian batsmen and bowlers had their sessions too. The pacers, however, bowled only a few overs.

A noteworthy fact was Harbhajan sweating it out for around an hour. The veteran tweaker who has impressed in games against Pakistan before might play in the contest on Saturday evening.

Earlier in the day, Dhoni along with team director Ravi Shastri had a word with former India captain and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly while looking at the Eden strip.

"The wicket will be a sporting one, where even if you score 180 it is not safe," Ganguly had told the media.

Pitch-in-charge Sujon Mukherjee echoed the same sentiments."It will be a flat wicket with lots of runs."

Agency