By Tom Decent
Best-laid plans for India’s superstar cricketers to take part in a “secret” training session at the WACA Ground in Perth were thrown into disarray on Wednesday as ladders, drones and disagreements over who was allowed to take photos dominated a day of drama that epitomises the circus that will follow this team in coming weeks.
If Virat Kohli and his rock star Indian teammates thought their arrival on Australian shores would be smooth sailing ahead of next Friday’s first Test in Perth, they were wrong.
Perth is certainly not Pune, but it is clear that this summer’s main attractions have arrived under pressure and fresh off their humiliating 3-0 series defeat to New Zealand on home soil.
India’s first proper training session on Wednesday at the WACA - with its entire squad - was shrouded in secrecy, with most reporters and photographers unsure whether they’d even be allowed to watch or film the likes of Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant hitting balls or sending down deliveries nine days out from the opening match of the series at Perth Stadium, a 1.5 kilometre walk across town.
The day before, signs indicated this wasn’t any normal sporting team, with security guards covering the outside of the WACA nets with a black tarp to prevent prying eyes from watching India’s preparations.
Construction workers at the WACA were even told, via an email seen by this masthead, they weren’t allowed to take photos or be seen catching a peek of training while on smoko break.
“During all training sessions, please do not take any photos or videos or fly any drones over the training sessions and please do not sit and watch the sessions,” read an email to workers.
WA Cricket staff members were also banned from using their phones inside the WACA - their offices are nearby - for fear of upsetting the tourists, who’ve been embroiled in their fair share of controversy on Australian shores over the past two decades.
Players warm up during an India training session on Wednesday at the WACA Ground in Perth. Credit: Getty Images
Naturally, the team’s secrecy piqued the interest of Indian and Australian cricket fans in the area. Many flocked to the nets to catch a glimpse of Kohli and make their own mind up whether he really is out of form or perhaps destined for some much-needed centuries in this five-Test series.
There was, according to onlookers, a small viewing area behind the nets, whenever security let their guard down.
During the afternoon, as Indian players made their way onto the WACA, out came the cameras from near and far.
Virat Kohli bats in the WACA nets. Credit: Getty Images
Indian officials invited Getty photographer Paul Kane onto the ground to take photos for the entirety of the session.
Virat Kohli warms up with a game of soccer on Wednesday.Credit: Getty Images
He filed photos of Kohli kicking a soccer ball, Pant having a laugh and young all-rounder Washington Sundar stretching his hamstrings with the famous WACA scoreboard in the background. Coach Gautam Gambhir was also snapped, days after firing back at Ricky Ponting’s frank assessments of Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s form.
Reporters were denied entry to WACA during training, but that didn’t stop eagle-eyed fans from keeping a close eye on the light session, despite India’s desire to train in peace.
One Perth resident, who didn’t want to reveal his identity in order to speak freely, spoke with this masthead as he watched training from a nearby office building. The ‘do not take photos’ memo clearly didn’t extend to the entire city.
He was more than happy to provide several photos in real-time and commentary on an Indian team that he was observing below walking around number of white plastic chairs on the field.
“Apparently the Indian cricket team’s secret approach to training includes playing occasional rounds of musical chairs to break up what otherwise looks exactly like normal fielding and net practice,” the fan said. “No centre wicket hit, just regular drills today.”
A cricket fan’s photo of India’s training session on Wednesday.
Other photographers and television crews went to extreme lengths as they brought out ladders and drones to get the shot their editors wanted of some of the sport’s biggest names.
By the end of training, after a number of protests at the media access being provided, The West Australian were eventually allowed a photographer inside to capture what they could.
Hours earlier, the paper had published exclusive photos of Virat Kohli leaving his Perth hotel “with a backpack over his shoulder and sunglasses on”.
Eyes will be on India’s every move this week, even if, in reality, there is little to gain from having a bird’s-eye view of a training session involving a team supported by the best part of a billion fans.
Unless Kohli trips on a soccer ball.
The circus has certainly arrived in town ahead of a tantalising series.
“It’s just started warming up here, but already the Indian team is cooling down,” said the fan, who’ll be watching training again from his sneaky vantage point on Thursday. “Let’s psych ’em out before Starc’s first yorker.”
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