The Indian Team conducted an open practice session ahead of the Second Test against Australia in Adelaide. Almost 3,000 fans gathered in the training area but soon the session became quite chaotic as players were ridiculed, body-shamed and bombarded with selfie requests.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has canceled all open practice sessions for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after the incident. Media access remains unchanged but fans will no longer be allowed to attend the training sessions.
Indian Players Heckled During Open Practice Session
The practice session, held on Tuesday, was unusually open to the public. This allowed the local fans to watch the Indian team train with the pink ball. However, the atmosphere quickly soured as sections of the crowd made inappropriate comments and disrupted the players’ focus.
“It was complete chaos,” a senior BCCI official shared with PTI. “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.”, he further said.
Nathan Lyon Confident in Mitchell Marsh’s Bowling Fitness Ahead of Adelaide Test
Captain Rohit Sharma and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant faced the brunt of the crowd’s behavior. An eyewitness noted that one fan repeatedly urged a player to speak in Gujarati, while another mocked a cricketer’s fitness. Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, meanwhile, narrowly avoided being mobbed by overzealous spectators.
“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.
Following this, the open practice sessions have been cancelled for the spectators. “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 BCCI source told Hindustan Times.
Team India Continues Practice in Adelaide
Team India batter KL Rahul reflected on the unusual experience. “It felt different, honestly,” Rahul said. “We’ve had crowds during T20 and ODI practices back home, but this was intense. It did, however, give us a taste of what the match atmosphere might feel like.”
Despite the incident, the Indian team continued their preparations on Wednesday with a closed session. Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma were key figures during the practice. Rohit, who joined the team during the first Test, may not open the innings in Adelaide. The skipper spent significant time facing spinners, hinting at a possible middle-order role.
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and Instagram
