Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill nearly mobbed as 3,000 fans cause chaos during team's training session in Adelaide

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made the decision to cancel all open practice sessions for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy following a chaotic incident in Adelaide. The second practice session for Team India, in preparation for the day-night Test against Australia, was restricted to media personnel only after members of the team, including captain Rohit Sharma and star players Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, were subjected to heckling during their practice on Tuesday.

Nearly 3000 fans gathered around the nets to watch the Indian cricketers train with the pink ball before the crucial second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, set to begin on Friday. While practice sessions are typically not open to the public before international fixtures, the local Adelaide crowd was given the opportunity to witness the training session.

Although the crowd brought energy and excitement to India's four-hour practice session, some individuals made it challenging for the players. According to a source familiar with the situation, the Indian cricketers were disturbed by certain comments from the crowd and the numerous requests for selfies, which hindered their focus.

Reports from news agency PTI indicated that disrespectful comments were directed towards the Indian cricketers.

"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.

India had an intense practice session lasting approximately two and a half hours on Wednesday. Shubman Gill once again showcased his skills as he faced the pacers and seamers with ease. It is highly likely that he will make a comeback in the XI for the upcoming day-night Test after missing the series opener in Perth due to a hairline fracture on his left thumb.

Captain Rohit Sharma is also set to return to the XI after missing the Perth Test due to the birth of his second child. While there is speculation that Rohit may not open the batting in Adelaide, his time spent batting against spinners during practice suggests he is considering batting at No.5 or No.6.

India's victory in the Perth Test by a record 295 runs gave them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. However, Australia has never lost a day-night Test in Adelaide, making the upcoming match a significant challenge for the Indian team.

Also read| IND vs UAE, U19 Asia Cup: Ayush Mhatre, Vaibhav Suryavanshi shine as India beat UAE by 10 wickets to enter semi-final