Debasis Sen, Birmingham: The Indian team were not too happy with the practice facilities here at the Edgbaston cricket ground. Virat Kohli and his team were forced to train at the nets adjacent to the main stadium. The Indians complained about the practice arena being smaller.
The Indian team arrived at the Edgbaston cricket ground at 10 am, only to find out that they have to train at the net practice area. The Indian captain was visibly not very happy about it as he was seen rushing to the main stadium. But Kohli found out that the wickets at the main stadium was covered. He was told by the ground staff that the Indians cannot practice at the main stadium. He looked quite frustrated as he returned to the net practice area. There were only two nets at the practice arena. A third net was put in place after a while.
The Indian manager Kapil Malhotra was seen having a word with the authorities here to organise the practice at another ground. The Indians wanted to train at the Colts Cricket ground which is a stone throw away distance from the main stadium.
But the venue manager did not seem too interested with the request. His logic was Australia was practicing there at the same time in the Colts ground and they have a match on June 2, Friday. Interestingly, Pakistan practiced at the same venue on Thursday.
The Indians will be practising at the Colts ground tomorrow as there is a match between Australia and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Indian media were not allowed to film the practice session today. There were clear instructions from the team management to keep the media away from the practice arena. Few electronics media camerapersons tried to take the visuals, but soon there were black curtains all over the wired nets around the practice arena.
Indian media manager Gaurav Saxena tried to help out the media, but was told by the team management that they do not want any media.
Indian coach Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli continued their cold relationship as they stayed away from each other at the nets. In fact most of the cricketers were seen to be keeping a distance from Kumble.
BCCI joint secretary Amitabh Chaudhary, who was here for the practice session claimed that he is unaware of any rift between chief coach Anil Kumble and captain Virat Kohli, dismissing it as “purely speculative”.
“I am not aware of any. It’s purely in realm (sic figment) of imagination. These are purely speculative,” Chaudhary told reporters on the sidelines of India’s practice session.
When quizzed further that there can’t be smoke without fire, the former Jharkhand top cop replied: “I see no smoke at all.”
“I frequently speak to the boys,” he said to a query on whether he has had discussions with the team on all what has been reported.