ADELAIDE: India have imposed a ban on open training and net sessions for the remainder of the ongoing five-match away Test series against Australia after fans flooded touring side’s Wednesday’s practice session.
According to the reports, the touring side felt uncomfortable as over 5000 supporters flocked to witness them practising. The fans chanted and attempted to take selfies with star cricketers, including Virat Kohli.
Open training sessions are a cherished tradition in Australia. This overwhelming turnout, however, became a struggle for the Indian team, who expressed dissatisfaction with the situation.
Opener KL Rahul, who played a key role in the first Test, remarked, “It’s different; we’re not used to this. At home, fans are mostly present during T20 and ODI practice sessions.”
“So, it felt a little different, but it also adds to your preparation for the Test match and gives us a bit of what we can expect on day one or all the days here in Adelaide, so it was good,” he added.
A senior Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official termed open net and training sessions as ‘complete chaos’ and revealed that the players also faced rude and insensitive comments.
“It was complete chaos. During the Australian training session, not more than 70-odd people turned up, but during India’s session, over 3,000 arrived. No one anticipated such numbers.”
“There was another fans’ day scheduled in Sydney (ahead of the fifth Test), but it has been cancelled as players were disturbed by rude and insensitive comments made here.
“Virat (Kohli) and Shubman Gill could have been mobbed with so many people around. Some fans were doing Facebook Live and talking loudly just as the batters took their stance. One supporter persistently asked a player to say ‘hi’ in Gujarati, while another cricketer faced body-shaming.”
As a result, the BCCI has formally requested Cricket Australia (CA) to refrain from similar open sessions in Brisbane and Sydney.
The second Test between Australia and India is set to take place at the Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10.
Sohail Imran Sohail Imran is a senior reporter for Geo News.
