The onus of the training was on fitness, both physical and mental.

While Robin Singh put one batch through the fielding drills, Paddy Upton had others engaged in shadow boxing, designed to make them mentally tougher for the ensuing Twenty20 and ODI series against the Black Caps.

The Pathan brothers, Yusuf and Irfan, whose blistering batting guided India to an exhilarating win against Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 match recently, showcased their skills in shadow boxing, striking Upton's shielded palm pretty cleanly.

Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan worked hard on their aerobic fitness at the adjacent Bert Scutliffe grounds, where New Zealand A were hosting England A.

The left-arm pacer was itching to have a go as he watched proceedings from the stands after a 20-minute fitness drill.