TimesofIndia.com in Manchester: The Indian cricket team arrived in Manchester via train this afternoon and was greeted by a steady drizzle. The team, however, took a last-minute U-turn and didn’t take the planned route of exiting the platform where the train had arrived.They instead snuck out from a back door, and the players were made to walk 300m, mostly in the rain, to board the team bus. Captain Shubman Gill was spotted with the team as others rushed into the bus because of the rain.India stayed back in London after the heartbreak at Lord’s and even had a training session in Beckenham. Every player except KL Rahul was in attendance, and while the likes of Rishabh Pant, Akash Deep, and Mohammed Siraj took it easy, the rest operated at full intensity. There was a cause for concern as Arshdeep Singh, who is yet to play a game, injured his bowling hand.The side will now begin preparations at the Old Trafford Ground in Manchester with sessions tomorrow, the day after, and on the eve of the match.
The first session will be behind closed doors without any access to the media, just like it happened for two sessions in Birmingham, and doors will be opened for the morning session on July 21 and the afternoon hit on July 22.The Indian team will find the city very pleasant compared to London as it is much cooler and there has been consistent drizzle for the last few days. Even the match days have forecasts of rain, but it hasn’t been threatening so far.An odd spell of light showers here and there shouldn’t really be a cause for major concern. The weather, however, can play funny tricks in England, and Manchester is unlikely to be any different in the coming week.Arshdeep’s bowling hand well protectedArshdeep Singh, who got hit in the nets, got stitches on his bowling hand and is unlikely to be available for selection for the fourth Test. He travelled with the rest of the team to Manchester but will find it tough to be ready for Old Trafford. It is understood that Arshdeep received the stitches on the day he was hit in the nets.“We have to see how bad the cut is,” said India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.“Obviously, the medical team is taking him to see a doctor. And whether he needs stitches or not is going to be important to our planning for the next few days,” he added.The fourth Test between India and England will be played at Old Trafford in Manchester, starting July 23.
