Indian cricket superstars land in Perth, take over iconic WACA Ground

November 12

Western Australia’s traditional home of cricket is in lockdown as it is taken over by India for a top-secret training camp in Perth ahead of The West Test.

India and its superstars, including Virat Kohli, touched down in Australia in groups between Sunday and Tuesday, escaping fierce scrutiny from their home country in the wake of an historic clean-sweep by New Zealand on the subcontinent.

Their guard is up in Perth like never before as they ramp up preparations for a blockbuster five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

The WACA Ground nets, normally open for viewing by the public, have been covered in black tarps so they are not visible from the street.

The West Australian understands WA Cricket staff members have been banned from using their mobile phones outside their offices, filming inside the ground and from using certain areas of the precinct.

A training session was cancelled on Tuesday morning, with further sessions set for the WACA Ground nets on Wednesday and Thursday.

A three-day intra-squad warm up match scheduled to be played from Friday to Sunday is now closed to the public after the squad’s governing body, the Board for Cricket Control in India, intervened.

Even Cricket Australia officials were left in the dark about the arrival of the Indian team ahead of the first of five Tests which begins on Friday week at Optus Stadium.

It’s the highest level of security around a visiting sporting squad since English Premier League giant Manchester United toured in 2022.

“There’s been a lot of work in the background to make sure we were ready for them,” new WA Cricket chief executive John Stephenson told The West.

“We’ll have staff on hand to ensure we execute it well, and we’re looking forward to hosting the three days behind closed doors.”

India put in place similar security measures when they were based in Perth ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, but they did make two practice games against a WA invitational team open to the public on that tour.

On that trip, Crown Perth stood down a contractor after an employee allegedly filmed themselves in Kohli’s hotel room.

Kohli posted the video alongside a long statement expressing his outrage at the “fanaticism and absolute invasion of privacy”.

Camera IconThe India Cricket Team arrive at the WACA ground to train. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper/The West Australian

The batting star, likely on his final Test tour of Australia is among his country’s biggest celebrity figures and is adored to the point where his movements are limited by loitering fans.

The lockdown comes just days after Kohli vented his frustration with photographers in Mumbai, asking them not to take pictures of his children with his wife, Bollywood superstar Anushka Sharma.

Video footage shows Kohli telling the paparazzi: “Udhar camera nahi karna (Don’t point your cameras there).”

Adding to the tension around the first Test is a war of words between new India coach Gautam Gambhir and Australian legend Ricky Ponting.

The batting great put the heat on Kohli to return to form in this series and said he was staggered by his poor recent record.

The call left Gambhir furious and the former Indian opener hit back.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconThe Indian cricket team practising in the nets at The WACA. Rishabh Pant. Credit: Ian Munro/The West Australian

“What does Ricky Ponting have to do with Indian cricket? He should be talking about Australia,” he said.

“Look, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are still passionate about the game and want to achieve more.

“They are hungry for success and have done exceptionally well for the country over the years.”

On Tuesday night, Ponting told 7NEWS he would shake Gambhir’s hand “if he came my way” in Perth, but said the pair “have history” that dates back to their playing days.

The group training in Perth this week does not include Test captain Rohit Sharma, who has remained in India as he awaits the birth of his child.

Sharma is in doubt for The West Test at Optus Stadium from November 22. Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah would captain in his absence.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconRishabh Pant (left) and Shubman Gill. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

But the call for the veteran batter to stay home has sparked a call from Indian legend and Channel 7 expert Sunil Gavaskar for him to be stripped of the leadership.

“It is important for the captain to play the first Test match,” Gavaskar told Indian media.

“It’s different if he is injured, but if he is not available, then the deputy leader will be under a lot of pressure.

“I have been reading that Rohit Sharma might not play the first two Tests of the Australia series.

“I feel that in that case the selection committee should appoint Jasprit Bumrah the captain of the side for the entire Australia tour, and tell Rohit Sharma that you will participate as a player in this series.”

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