Focus on players' skills at camp

BANGALORE, June 12: With the batsmen's fitness camp concluding here on Tuesday, the Indian team for the tours of Ireland, Scotland and England will assemble for the skills camp at the National Cricket Academy here on Wednesday afternoon.
The batsmen's fitness camp followed a similar camp for bowlers in Mysore. Bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad said these two camps were held to prepare the players for the gruelling tours ahead."It is a longish sort of schedule this year. This is the only opportunity we have to organise a fitness camp.
"It has been hard on the players to have a fitness camp immediately after the tough Bangladesh tour. But it is more of a session to make the players understand the concept that Gregory King introduced, like endurance and shuttle running. It is to keep the players going throughout the year." Prasad said.
India are scheduled to play 13 ODIs, three Tests and four practice matches during the three-nation tour.
Rahul Dravid missed the practice sessions on the final day of the camp as he had to attend the selection committee meeting in New Delhi. Mohammed Kaif was absent for the afternoon session.
Prasad and fielding coach Robin Singh gave the players some catching practice. After a session of ground fielding, the reflexes of the players were put to test with sharp slip catches. King too figured prominently, helping the players have a shy at the wicket. Later in the evening physio John Gloster assessed the fitness of Zaheer Khan.
On the fielding session being included in the fitness camp, Prasad said: "Fielding was not part of the camp earlier. But it was getting a bit monotonous and so we thought of having a session of fielding practice too."