India's nets speak, but not of Samson

If India's first practice session at the ICC Academy in Dubai was about finding their bearings, the second was about intent. There was a sharper edge to the drills, a clearer order to who batted where and, in the process, a few quiet hints about how the team management is beginning to imagine its playing XI.

None of it spoke more clearly than the silence around Sanju Samson. After his warm-up sprints and a token hit in the outfield, he settled on a red icebox and remained perched there for most of the evening, watching as Shubman Gill, Jitesh Sharma and Rinku Singh batted in the three centre-wicket nets.

The irony was hard to miss. Of Samson waiting while Gill, India's returning vice-captain, for whom he had stood in during those months of breakthrough runs and centuries through late 2024 and early 2025, took his turn. Of Samson waiting while Jitesh, the squad's other wicketkeeper, and Rinku, the other designated finisher, sweated it out.

For the first couple of hours, the nets belonged to only six names: Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Jitesh and Rinku.

Gill and Abhishek, teammates since their U-12 days, moved almost as a pair. The evening even began with Abhishek inspecting and playfully swinging Gill's bat, one that had already carried him to milestones, including his first international hundred in Zimbabwe. Later, the two slipped seamlessly into catching drills under fielding coach T. Dilip. From there, Gill and Abhishek headed to the farthest of the three nets, facing the new ball from Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah. The bowling group was soon joined by Hardik Pandya and, notably, Shivam Dube, who ran in hard.

In the adjoining net, Rinku was first in, tackling the spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel. Tilak and Suryakumar followed, both logging extended time against spin, including a skiddy, round-arm legspinner. Tilak was the last to finish, effectively closing a session Rinku had begun hours earlier.

Meanwhile, Varun Chakaravarthy bowled one of the night's longest spells, then worked with Dilip on his high catching. The coach's advice seemed to be pointed: crouch and move in only once the ball has left the bat. Dilip's presence was everywhere but his extended time with Rinku and Kuldeep stood out.

Samson, though, remained peripheral. No fielding drills were lined up for him and his batting window was narrow. He got a hit out alongside allrounders Hardik, Dube and Axar, sharing a net with Hardik before moving quietly to the spin nets.

When Samson was in the middle, Gautam Gambhir was deep in conversation with Suryakumar, and they were later joined by Gill. They could have been discussing anything, but given how the night unfolded, it was unlikely to be about Samson. Practice sessions don't name XIs, but they do whisper hints; and for Samson, the verdict seemed to arrive before his turn did.