Of Train Rides & Old Mates: MS Dhoni’s Jharkhand Stint in Pics

Dhoni even bowled some offspin to his fellow batsmen for close to half-an-hour.

Virat Kohli and his Indian cricket team are sweating it out in Pune, facing an uphill task against Australia. The second day of the first Test finished with the visitors holding a 298-run second innings lead and Steve Smith holding his bat after smashing a half century.

But away from all the wickets, former Indian Test skipper MS Dhoni is preparing for a challenge of his own. After he surprised everyone by choosing to travel with his teammates in a train from Ranchi to Kolkata, the skipper took the nets at the Eden Gardens for their first training session.

Be it in India ranks or his IPL Pune franchise Rising Pune Supergiants, Dhoni is no more the captain but it's only at his state where he has opted to lead in the upcoming domestic one-dayers for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

During the nets session, Dhoni wore his usual cool demeanour but the intensity was evident as he took out his team under the scorching afternoon sun and began the session in his familiar manner -- a pep-talk followed by playing football.

But what followed was quite striking as he rolled his arm, bowling offspin to his fellow batsmen for close to half-an-hour.

However, he will not switch roles as manager P N Singh said Dhoni will remain the wicketkeeper and lead the side from behind the stumps.

"It's his way of practice. He likes to roll his arm so he chose to bowl. He will keep wickets, though we have a second wicketkeeper in Ishan Kishan," the manager said.