Indian team played the Hanuman Chalisa, a devotional hymn in praise of the Hindu god Hanuman, in their dressing room to lift their spirits ahead of the fourth Test match against England, which will be held in Manchester next week. Currently India is down 1-2 in the five-match series and looking to bounce back.
the squad seemed determined to shake off the disappointment — not through intense drills, but by invoking good vibes through a unique blend of music in the dressing room. Listening to the Hanuman Chalisa before training seemed to be a way for the team to stay positive and focused. Along with the Chalisa, the team also played English pop songs and popular Punjabi music, creating a light and relaxed atmosphere in the dressing room. For the unversed, the Hanuman Chalisa is a famous Hindu prayer made up of 40 verses. It praises Lord Hanuman, a powerful and loyal devotee of Lord Rama. The prayer tells stories of Hanuman’s strength, bravery, and dedication. One important verse talks about Hanuman discovering his true power, which he had forgotten because of his humility.
The message of the Hanuman Chalisa is that staying humble and serving others with devotion leads to greatness.
Some fun moments happened too. Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah were joking around with journalists who were watching practice from below. When a reporter tried to call out to Pant, he replied, “I can’t hear anything,” because of the loud music. Bumrah jumped in and joked, saying, “Today Duggal Ji can’t hear,” It was a reference to a line from a popular Hindi movie.
While the vibe was light-hearted, Team India were dealt an injury concern when left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh hurt his bowling hand. The 26-year-old was bowling alongside Prasidh Krishna when he attempted to stop a fiercely struck ball from Sai Sudharsan. The ball clipped his fingers, leaving a visible cut and forcing him off the nets.
Bumrah, on the other hand, did not have a bowl and neither did Mohammed Siraj as part of workload management. It remains to be seen if either of them is rested in the next Test with the series on the line.
