The two-and-a-half hour session was a serious affair, with the focus on the basics and cutting down on frills, such as extra deliveries whilst bowling.
Much of the attention centred around Irfan Pathan, the Baroda all-rounder whose last outing with the Indian team was also here in South Africa. Pathan played no more than a bit role in the one-day series and returned home midway through the Test series, to play domestic cricket because there was no way he merited a place in the playing eleven then.
Those who have seen him in action at the MRF Pace Foundation aver that Pathan is bowling as well as he ever has done.
How he soaks in the pressure when batsmen go after him — as they are bound to in this format — remains to be seen.
For company, Irfan has older brother Yusuf in the squad; both the Pathans are in the all-rounder bracket, which is essentially what the Twenty20 format demands in any case.
“I treat Yusuf just like I would any other team-mate in the dressing room when it comes to discussing cricket,” said Irfan during an informal chat. Remind him — as if he needs any reminding! — that it was South Africa that he last toured as an Indian cricketer, and he retorts, “Those are memories. I have now even forgotten that I have taken a Test hat-trick (in Karachi against Pakistan). I am not thinking about things that have happened in the past. It is all about today, it is about having to deliver the goods now.”
Outlining his modus operandi with the ball, Pathan went on, “You get to bowl a maximum of four overs, how much can you do in that period? But we have to make an effort.
“If the batsman is not getting after me, then I will not try anything fancy — just try and get away with it as quickly as possible. In that case, I will try to stick to the plan. But if there is pressure from the batsman, then I will have to get the variations into play.”
The all-rounder then espoused his batting philosophy. “You just have to bat freely, with an open mind. This is my comeback tour. I have got an opportunity, and I want to do well.” A hundred for optimism and confidence then. It’s time to translate words into deeds.