IPL 2020: Virat Kohli looks sharp, Samaira gives Rohit perfect send-off as RCB, MI begin training in UAE

Even as Chennai Super Kings delayed resumption of training in the UAE after a player and 12 of their support staff tested Covid-19 positive, the show went on as other teams hit the training grounds in the lead up to Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 on Friday.

Royal Challengers and Mumbai Indians were among the franchises that began training on Friday after completing their mandatory quarantine period upon arrival in the UAE. While RCB are camped in Dubai, defending champions MI started their outdoor sessions in Abu Dhabi.

As it turns out, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma got a sweet send-off from his daughter, Samaira before he headed out for training on Friday. Rohit took to social media to share the heartwarming image of his daughter’s special send-off.

“Perfect send off for the first day of training,” Rohit wrote in his social media post. Rohit has been one of the few cricketers who has travelled to the UAE along with his family. Wife Ritika and daughter Samaira have accompanied the skipper for IPL 2020, starting September 19.

Virat Kohli’s intense training session

On the other hand, Virat Kohli was seen timing his pull shot wonderfully well as he hit the nets after close to 5 months of being restricted indoors in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Royal Challengers Bangalore shared glimpses of their training session on Friday. While captain Kohli was spotted having an intense discussion with Director of Cricket Mike Hesson at the training ground.

Captain Kohli middling a bouncer on Day 1!

Sound #PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers pic.twitter.com/03i08OyCP7

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) August 28, 2020

The likes of Dale Steyn, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Siraj and Navdeep Saini were also spotted rolling their arm over in the team’s first training session.

PACE FORCE. #PlayBold #IPL2020 #WeAreChallengers pic.twitter.com/SENLaQqx6h

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) August 28, 2020

Kings XI Punjab began training as early on Thursday and their captain KL Rahul conceded that the conditions in Dubai were ‘very, very hot’ but he was happy to get a hit in the middle for the first time in months.

“It was very good. Been at home for so long so just being able to get a chance to be in the middle with the team to get a hit feels really really good,”?Rahul said in a video for BCCI.

“The conditions are very very hot. Ideally, I would have loved to bat in temperature much cooler. But yeah, really happy to be outdoors and to practice and to do what we love.”