The Indian pace attack attracted notice during their recent practice session at Edgbaston before the second Test against England. They were using two-colored balls to shake off habits picked up from playing white-ball cricket. Jasprit Bumrah and other Indian pacers were observed handling red and white balls as the session began.
Using multi-colored balls is a routine method. Indian pacers have employed them since the start of the English summer because they arrived in England after a long period of white-ball cricket, including the Champions Trophy and the Indian Premier League.
India’s assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, stated that training with two-colored balls aids in removing white-ball tendencies from their red-ball approach.
It’s a normal practice, said Doeschate. Ball makers produce these balls. We aim to help the bowlers reset by focusing on the basics. This approach quickly shows results, especially after a long IPL season where less desirable habits can develop. We don’t want those habits affecting Test cricket. Morne Morkel and the bowlers use this method to ensure their core skills are intact. We’ve been doing this for two weeks.
Moeen Ali, a former England all-rounder, made a surprise visit to the host’s practice session at his home ground on Monday. England hopes to benefit from Ali’s knowledge of Edgbaston, where the field is predicted to favor runs and assist spinners from day three.
Head coach Brendon McCullum and spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel talked with Ali at length. Sources told PTI that Ali’s visit was just for the day, and he isn’t taking on a long-term coaching position with the team.
Ali, who has retired from top-level cricket, plays in T20 leagues around the globe and participated in IPL 2025. Ben Stokes, the England captain, convinced Ali to come out of Test retirement for an Ashes return a couple of years ago. On Monday, Ali was present to support his former captain again.