How did AB de Villiers's first net session go?

On their second day back into the grind on the cricket pitches, RCB players and coaching staff were greeted by the searing heat of Dubai. The camaraderie in the camp was apparent as the players started off with a brief fitness session after which they hit the nets for skill training. 

A certain AB de Villiers had donned his gear after a long break. After a satisfactory batting session, de Villiers was visibly pleased. “It was really good, very enjoyable to be out there,” he said. “It was night time here, was a bit blurry - the lights, the wicket was a bit sticky - so it was a great challenge. Actually, if I could have it my way,  this is exactly the way I’d like my first net to be after a long time. So, really get my basics in place, had to watch the ball carefully and I hit some nice shots towards the end which was also enjoyable,” said de Villiers who did not seem fazed by the testing conditions.

It is quite easy to see the intensity in de Villiers’s approach to every practice session. “Want to practice like you play out there, you’re gonna need intensity at the wicket, so that’s what I always try and do when I practice, and I generally look like this after practice session,” said a sweat-soaked de Villiers.

Players have been confined to the indoors for quite a long time now, and Shanker Basu, the team’s trainer explained what the players need to focus on fitness-wise. “Three things we have to be very mindful. One- the players are coming back after a long time, and they will be ready to jump and go gung-ho. That is our job to pull them back a little initially. And number two is oppressive heat can be a hell-ing thing here. Most importantly, in the gym, all along they have been only doing a lot of gym. They’ve done a lot of work in the gym, and from now onwards, it should aid the skill part, it shouldn’t be the other way around,” Basu explains.

After the draining nets session,  the players moved onto the fielding drills, “Just trying to make sure, the keeping drills, the batting drills also have equal number of balls”, said Parthiv Patel. “Trying to get used to it[the conditions]. It’s pretty good. RCB takes care of everything. That’s how we take care of our hygiene. Customized towels, thank you,” said a visibly elated Parthiv Patel.