Ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka, Team India has received additional reinforcements. While the 15-member squad remains unchanged, three young domestic cricketers have joined the touring party as net bowlers to help the team prepare for the spin-friendly conditions expected in Sri Lanka.

Before departing for the tour, the trio also trained with senior batters KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal during practice sessions in Mumbai.

Three Domestic Players Join as Net Bowlers

The three players accompanying Team India are:

• Harsh Dubey

• Tanush Kotian

• Vipraaj Nigam

Although they are not part of the official playing squad, they will assist the Indian batters during training by providing quality bowling in the nets throughout the tour.

Rahul and Jaiswal Sharpen Skills Against Spin

Before flying to Sri Lanka, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal trained at former India cricketer Jatin Paranjpe's cricket academy in Mumbai.

According to Tanush Kotian, who regularly practices at the academy, the pitches there offer considerable assistance to spin bowlers, making them ideal for preparing for Sri Lankan conditions.

During the sessions, Rahul and Jaiswal faced a variety of spin bowlers, including:

• Left-arm spinners

• Off-spinners

• Leg-spinners

The primary focus was to improve their ability to handle spin bowling before the challenging overseas assignment.

Why Are Net Bowlers So Important?

Sri Lankan pitches are traditionally known for offering significant assistance to spinners, especially as Test matches progress.

To ensure the batters get extensive practice against different styles of spin, the Indian team management decided to include specialist domestic bowlers as net bowlers alongside the main squad.

India Already Has Strong Spin Options

Even though the touring squad already includes experienced spin bowlers such as:

• Ravindra Jadeja

• Kuldeep Yadav

• Washington Sundar

• Manav Suthar

the additional net bowlers will help create match-like practice sessions and allow the frontline bowlers to manage their workloads during training.

With preparations now in full swing, Team India will be aiming to adapt quickly to Sri Lankan conditions as it looks to deliver a strong performance in the upcoming Test series.