India’s preparation for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been rigorous yet upbeat, with the team management fostering a lighthearted atmosphere to ease the pressures of an Australian tour. Many players are experiencing Australia’s challenging conditions for the first time, making camaraderie essential. On the second day of practice, a warm moment was captured as Sarfaraz Khan and Shubman Gill shared an extended conversation at the WACA nets.

Later, Sarfaraz was seen gifting Gill a bat, a gesture Gill accepted with a smile, adding a touch of bonding to the intense sessions. Nearby, Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj joined in the camaraderie, enjoying the banter between Sarfaraz and Gill. In a photograph, Sarfaraz humorously knelt to hand over the bat, underscoring the team’s close-knit spirit.

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However, the session wasn’t without its challenges—Sarfaraz suffered a knock to his right elbow, which caused him to leave the nets as a precaution. The medical team attended to him on the spot, and he is expected to resume training on November 15. Sarfaraz remains in contention for the opening Test, scheduled for November 22 at Optus Stadium in Perth.

Sarfaraz Khan Giving his Bat to Shubman Gill 😂 pic.twitter.com/PkGc8cSS46

— Ahmed Says (@AhmedGT_) November 14, 2024

If captain Rohit Sharma is unavailable, KL Rahul is likely to step in as opener alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Sarfaraz, meanwhile, is competing for a place in the middle order against Dhruv Jurel, who impressed with his batting in a recent unofficial Test against Australia A. With a spot in the World Test Championship 2025 Final on the line, team management will be watching these players closely before finalizing the playing XI.

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Sarfaraz had a mixed recent performance, scoring a century against New Zealand in Bengaluru but struggling in subsequent games. He will be eager to make a statement against Australia, knowing that strong contributions could help India secure the series and solidify their WTC qualification chances.