BCCI cancelled open practice sessions for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after chaos reigned supreme in Adelaide. India’s second practice session ahead of the day-night Test against Australia was strictly turned into a media-only event after the members of Team India, including captain Rohit Sharma and star cricketers Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, were “heckled” during their practice session on Tuesday. Close to 3000 fans gathered around the nets to catch a glimpse of the Indian cricketers training with the pink ball before the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy second Test starting Friday. Generally, practice sessions prior to an international fixture are never open for public viewing, but on this occasion, it was open for the local Adelaide crowd.
The crowd made a lot of noise and added colour to India’s four-hour-long practice session, but a section of them also made life difficult for the Indian cricketers. A source privy to the development said the Indian cricketers were troubled by some of the comments passed by the crowd and the multiple requests for selfies made it difficult for them to concentrate.
“Yes, the training will not be accessible to the general public now. The players were heckled during the open session on Tuesday. So many selfie requests when players are trying to prepare for the crucial series. The entire situation could have been dealt with better. Public won’t be allowed access to training sessions, however, media can come and see the players train,” the source told Hindustan Times.
Kohli, Rohit, Pant have a hard time
News agency PTI reported that rude comments were passed to the Indian cricketers.
“It was complete chaos. During the Australian training session, not more than 70-odd people turned up but during India’s session, 3000 came. No one expected so many fans to turn up,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“There was another fans’ day in Sydney (ahead of the fifth Test), which stands cancelled as players were very disturbed by the rude and insensitive comments that were passed (here),” he added.
An eyewitness said that fans badgered Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant to hit sixes and commented on another player’s fitness.
“Virat (Kohli) and Shubman Gill could have been mobbed because of so many people. Some were doing Facebook live with friends and talking loudly just as the batter took stance,” he said.
“One supporter continuously urged a player to say ‘hi’ to him in Gujarati. Another particular cricketer was body-shamed.”The game in Adelaide will be a day-night Test, followed by matches in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
India cricketer KL Rahul said it was different to practice in front of a noisy crowd before a Test match. “It was very different. We have practised in front of crowds but that has generally been ahead of T20Is or ODIs back home. This felt a little different but also added to our preparation for the Test match. It gave us a little idea of what we might expect n Day 1 or the through the five days of the Test match,” Rahuld said when asked about the open practice session.
What happened in India’s practice on Wednesday?
India practised for about two and a half hours on Wednesday. Shubman Gill was once again the focus as the right-hander batted against eh pacers and seamers quite comfortably. As things stand now, it is all but confirmed that he will be back in the XI for the day-night Test after missing the series opener in Perth due to a hairline fracture on his left thumb.
Captain Rohit Sharma will also be back in the XI. Rohit did not play in Perth due to the birth of his second child. He joined the Indian team in the middle of the Perth Test. There is a strong indication that Rohit might not open the batting in Adelaide. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal did a splendid job in Perth, especially in the second innings, and helped India win the match. Rohit spent a lot of time batting against the spinners on Wednesday, suggesting that he is seriously considering the prospect of batting at No.5 or No.6 in Adelaide.
India won the Perth Test by a record 295 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series but Australia have never lost a day-night Test in Adelaide.
