Indian players have done commando-style training in preparation for the new season which starts with a one-day tri-series against Australia and West Indies in Malaysia on Friday.
Indian players took a deserved break after claiming a rare test series victory in the Caribbean in July and have now adopted innovative methods to prepare for a busy schedule that will culminate in the World Cup in March and April.
The team regrouped last week after their commando training in early August. Coach Greg Chappell, steering the players away from the routine of net practice, then got them to hit a golf ball with a stump to sharpen timing and do exercises to enhance concentration. "It is just a chance to give people different experiences," captain Rahul Dravid told reporters on Thursday.
"If you keep following the same routine, sometimes people can become a bit stale and bored," he said. "It is a different way of doing something which provides the same sort of benefit."
Dravid was confident India would shine in the September 12-24 series in Kuala Lumpur. India will play two practice games in Chennai before leaving for Malaysia.