NEW DELHI: Ahead of the second Test of the two-match series against South Africa in Guwahati, India batters Sai Sudharsan and Dhruv Jurel trained with only one pad during an optional session at Kolkata's Eden Gardens on Monday, using an old method meant to handle spin and improve footwork. Both faced spinners for nearly three hours while exposing one leg, a routine that carries some risk but is used to force batters to play with the bat rather than rely on pad defence. Sudharsan, a left-hander, took off his right pad to make a longer front-foot stride. He did not play the Eden Test, and his place in the Guwahati Test is uncertain. Batting against left-arm spinners and off-spinners without the front pad meant he had to avoid blows on the shin or any exposed area that could cause

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