India captain Rohit Sharma interacting with fans© AFP
Fans will no longer be allowed at India’s practice sessions in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series against Australia after fans passed “rude” comments during the team’s training here ahead of the second Test starting on Friday. The practice session was thrown open to fans on Tuesday. While a handful of them gathered to watch Australia, thousands converged to catch the Indian team live in action from close quarters as the practice facility stands in Adelaide are very close to the nets.
“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.
TEAM INDIA BANS OPEN PRACTICE SESSION…!!!
– Approx 5,000 fans tuned in for India’s net session yesterday with some of them passing demeaning comments, so the BCCI have decided to go ahead with closed doors practice sessions for the rest of the Australian tour. (The Age). pic.twitter.com/QY3hTGZBjM
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 4, 2024
An eye-witness said that fans badgered the likes of Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant to hit sixes and passed comments on the fitness of another player.
“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.
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