The Indian cricket team, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, arrived in Dharamsala on Monday, four days before the tour-opener of the Mahatma Gandhi–Mandela series against South Africa.
The team will undergo rigorous physical fitness training in preparation of the first Twenty20 International, scheduled for October 2.
It was Team Director Ravi Shastri's idea to arrive early so that the players can work on endurance enhancement at the high altitude venue.
Mohit Sood, Press Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, said the players and the coaching staff had planned to reach Dharamsala only on September 30.
The team earlier had a skill conditioning camp at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.