Virat Kohli's practice session.
Virat Kohli's practice session. Image Credit: X

The Indian team has started their preparations with full attention before the start of their home summer, and without a doubt, their former all-format captain, Virat Kohli, was the first to hit the net and work on his batting skills. The veteran, since the end of the T20 World Cup 2024, was part of only three ODI games in Sri Lanka and now needs some practice to get into the groove.

Virat Kohli last played a red-ball game in the first week of January earlier this year at Newlands against South Africa, after which he missed the whole England series at home due to personal reasons. With the Blue Brigade not participating in any ODIs for the rest of the year and him already taking retirement from the T20Is, the focus is solely on the longest format.

India will start their home season with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh before being involved in a three-match red-ball series against New Zealand. Towards the end of the year, the Rohit Sharma-led side will take a flight to Australia for the five-match series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Watch: Aggressive Virat Kohli breaks wall at MA Chidambaram Stadium

On Saturday, the Indian team went through a light net session where the batters generally put their attention toward the defense on various soils. The reports have claimed that the Chennai game is expected to take place on a red-soil track, as the two-time runners-ups of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2024-25 have kept their eyes on the upcoming BGT 2024-25.

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On Sunday, under the supervision of their head coach, Gautam Gambhir, the home side went through a very intense practice session where the aim generally was to hit the ball with so much power, and Virat Kohli came up with aggression.

The former T20I batter smashed a big hit that struck the wall near one of the dressing rooms, leaving a massive hole in it, as the host broadcaster, Jio Cinema, reported.

Virat Kohli is the fourth-highest run-getter of the longest format in the Indian team, with 8848 runs in 113 games at an average of 49.15 and a strike rate of 55.56 with the help of 29 centuries and 30 half-centuries. The aim for the 35-year-old will be on the coming Australia trip, which he missed during the 2020/21 winter, apart from the Adelaide disaster.

Under his captaincy, India went on to earn their maiden red-ball victory down under during the 2018/19 summer before repeating the same under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane in the last tour.

The Delhi-born will be eager to start on a good note against Bangladesh, as he carries an average of 60 in the five-day format at home, having collected 4144 runs in 50 games, besides celebrating 14 centuries and 12 half-centuries.

When it comes to performing against the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side, the veteran has notched up 437 runs in six games at an average of 54.63 and a strike rate of around 70 with a couple of centuries, and he will look to continue the same.

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Virat Kohli’s average goes up to 95 when it comes to facing the Tigers at home. The Chennai surface won’t be easy, especially against the quality spin attack of the tourists, which consists of the left-arm experienced spinner Shakib Al Hasan and the off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

The teams will move to the Green Park stadium in Kanpur for the second and final game of the series.