The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) just continues to give. In what has come as a latest development, the Indian team has raised concerns of being uncomfortable after the general public came up with “demeaning remarks” and “heckled” the visitors while they practiced. This comes two days ahead of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval.
BCCI bans public from practice for entire BGT
According to reports, as many as 5,000 fans turned up for India’s practice session on Tuesday, December 3. While videos came out of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, among other Indian stars, practicing, we saw loads of fans right behind the players. It was something unusual. With the number of fans present, unrest has to kick in. The practice session turned into a noisy and disruptive event. “They were literally next to the nets. (It) Could have been handled better. The regular chants, demeaning remarks, requests for selfies, and all don’t help when players are trying to train hard,” a source said to TOI.
Did Team India get heckled by fans?
Players found themselves under constant pressure, with crowds shouting instructions, demanding boundaries, and making demeaning remarks about their performance. The situation quickly became unbearable for the team. Fans were positioned extremely close to the practice nets, creating what team sources described as a “far from ideal” environment. Players were bombarded with requests for selfies, autographs, and constant commentary about their every move during the training session.
“The session could have been handled much better. It could have been a security situation too because the public was just very close to the players. And the comments and constant slogans of ‘chauka maar’, ‘chakkar maar’, ‘out ho gaya’ are not ideal for practice sessions.”
Security became another concern. With fans crowding dangerously close to the players, the team management felt compelled to take action. While the management knows how special fans feel watching their favourite player battle hard up close and personal, one should respect the cricketers as well. They have all the right to practice with closed doors, especially if they feel uncomfortable with all the unnecessary noise coming in while preparing and strategising.
