The spotlight was on Sachin Tendulkar, making a comeback after a long injury layoff, as the three-day camp for the Indian cricket team commenced in Bangalore on Wednesday.
The camp started with indoor training sessions at National Cricket Academy before trooping out for light nets which were interrupted by rains in the afternoon.
Tendulkar looked cheerful and batted for a while, facing deliveries from Kerala speedster Sreesanth, the lone new face in the 15-member squad for the first two one-dayers against Sri Lanka.
Rahul Dravid, appointed skipper for the series against Sri Lanka and South Africa, and Virender Sehwag, who were the part of the World XI team in Super Series played in Australia, missed the proceedings on the opening day.
Chappell was assisted by trainer Gregory King and Physio John Gloster, besides bio-mechanics expert Ian Frazer.
Chappell, whose public spat with Sourav Ganguly made headlines recently, declined to speak to the media. Members of the electronic media sought to cajole Tendulkar to give "sound-bites" as he was sipping tea, but the batting ace, who was in a jovial mood, quipped: "I am having biscuit bites".
Reporters were keen to know details about the camp, coming as it does before a gruelling home season ahead that will see India play 12 one-day internationals -- seven against Sri Lanka and five against South Africa -- besides three Tests against Sri Lanka.
But they were kept at bay and "roped" out to ensure that they were not able to get close to the players.
Meanwhile, Anil Kumble and Mohammed Kaif, who are under rehabilitation, spent some time with Gloster, who is supervising their progress.
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