BCCI lets fans in but Australian media reveals India prefer closed-door sessions

The Indian team management has decided to allow the public to watch their centrewicket training sessions from Friday to Sunday when they would do match simulation and play a warmup game against India A at the WACA groundThis is contrary to an Australian media report claiming that the visiting teams practice sessions are closed to the publicOn Wednesday The Australian claimed in a report that a team of construction workers which is currently refurbishing the WACA has been mailed by its company CEO to not watch click pictures or fly drones during the India net sessionsThe extent to which India is keeping their practice guarded is laid bare in a leaked email issued to workers involved in the WACA refurbishment due to be completed next year the newspaper reportedNot only has the public been barred from watching India train even those working in the precinct are under strict instructions not to take a peek according to an email sent by Adam Sauzier of ADCO Constructions who is building the new facilityQuoting the email the newspaper wrote This week India and India A are training at the WACA Ground from Tuesday 12 November until Sunday 17 November as part of Indias preparation for the Test Match at Perth Stadium the following weekDuring all training sessions please do not take any photos or videos or fly any drones of the training sessions and please do not sit and watch the sessionsAlso ReadBCCI channels lockdownstyle secrecy for Team India in PerthThe leading daily further said The memo also makes reference to an India v India A match that had been scheduled from Friday to Sunday but has since been scrapped with the tourists instead preferring to have centre wicket practiceHowever when people in the BCCI were asked they categorically denied having sent such official communicationNeither from India or from India A such a request at least on official capacity has gone demanding closeddoor net sessions The practice session is open to all The Indian and Australian media can watch and cover for as long as they want There is no such restrictions till now a source in the know of things told PTI on the condition of anonymityIt was also learnt that India A players have reported in Perth and will be part of the intrasquad matchObviously it wont be a threeday official firstclass match where if a batter gets out in first over he wont have access to centre wicket It will be match simulation where any number of batters can bat the source addedIt is understood that the management wants a Mohammed Siraj or an Akash Deep to bowl at Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant One team would be loaded with batters and another with bowlers for quality centrewicket trainingThis was the same practice during COVID times when India travelled to England with around 2324 players he saidAlso ReadTeam India practice session in Perth shielded from cameras by stringent securityIndia have first official session Kohli joins netsThe entire Indian contingent on Wednesday came for an afternoon net session at the WACA and were also joined by some India A team membersVirat Kohli batted for a considerable period of time at the nets along with other main battersSkipper Rohit Sharma waiting for the birth of his second child has not joined the squad yet although coach Gautam Gambhir remained hopeful that he could link up with the team before the first Test A confirmation is awaited thoughWith PTI inputs