Virat Kohli yet to arrive in New York

Most players of the Indian cricket team had their first training session after reaching New York City ahead of the showpiece event on Tuesday at a local facility. Talismanic batter Virat Kohli is the only one to not have reached the Big Apple yet, and could be an uncertainty for India’s solitary warm up clash ahead of the global tournament, against Bangladesh on June 1 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. The Indian Cricket Board has provided no update on his travel status. 

The team has landed in New York in clusters, with players from sides eliminated following the league phase of the Indian T20 League 2024 travelling first, except Hardik Pandya, who reached after a short halt, followed by as and when the players when their sides were knocked out from the playoffs. 

Team’s strength and conditioning coach, Soham Desai, provided an idea of the routine being followed by the players, who all have been part of the grind at the just concluded Ind T20 League over the last couple of months and are easing into match preparation. Eased into our routines here, the idea was to just get used to the time zone," he said in a video posted by the Indian Cricket Board on social media.

"We've not yet played cricket. We've come here for a team activity today," Jasprit Bumrah said. "Hopefully it will be good. The weather is really good. So looking forward.”

The players warned up, did some basic strength and conditioning training, and performed some football drills. 

"They have been away for two-and-a-half months from us [the national team setup]. Just getting them together to know where they stand, what needs to be done before the World Series was the goal," Desai said of the Tuesday session. "[The] goal is to spend 45 minutes to an hour there on the park to again get going.

"We want to see them move. We want to see them run so that we can put enough plans in place for each guy to be ready for the first game.

Hardik who opted for a short break after the conclusion of the Indian T20 League before linking up with the side, seemed keen to be playing in a new part of the world, talking up “the  good vibe”, while ace all rounder Ravindra Jadeja was looking to have “super super fun”, and Suryakumar Yadav believed the first day out “was amazing”. 

India’s opening game at the World Series will be on June 5, against Ireland, followed by group league matches against Pakistan on June 9, USA on June 12, and Canada on June 15. The first three games will be played in New York and the last in Lauderhill, Florida.