Australia is poised to welcome fans as they prepare for the third match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Cricket Australia announced via social media that an open training session for the Australian team is scheduled for Thursday, December 12, prior to the Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane.

The training session will take place at the stadium itself, allowing fans to attend free of charge for the nearly four-hour event at a venue that was historically regarded as Australia’s stronghold until the Indian team achieved a significant victory during their last tour in Australia.

Australia's choice to conduct an open training session comes in response to the Indian team's announcement that they will cease hosting open sessions during their tour in Australia. This decision by India was influenced by player feedback regarding their discomfort with fan attendance at net sessions. Senior players, including Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, expressed to the media that training at full capacity was challenging due to the unfamiliar presence of spectators.

"It feels very different, as we are not accustomed to it," Rahul remarked to reporters before the Adelaide Test. "While we do practice in front of crowds, it is primarily during T20 and ODI matches back home; we have had spectators attend our practice sessions. Therefore, it felt somewhat unusual."

India to train in private ahead of third Test

Indian players have expressed dissatisfaction regarding the persistent requests from fans for selfies and autographs, which hindered their ability to concentrate on their training. Reports from Australian media indicate that the players were particularly frustrated when fans ridiculed or encouraged batters during net sessions for failing to connect with deliveries.

The Indian team chose to forgo open practice sessions to maintain the confidentiality of their tactical and strategic preparations, aiming to prevent any information from being disclosed to the media or their opponents. Captain Rohit Sharma remarked to reporters on the eve of the Adelaide Test, “The net sessions are very private, and this was the first time I encountered such a large crowd during practice.”

He further emphasized the importance of privacy during training, stating, “There are numerous discussions that take place, and those discussions are confidential. We prefer that no one overhears them, as they involve significant planning.” 

To secure their privacy, India reportedly erected temporary barricades last week during their training at Manuka Oval in Canberra. However, this has not dissuaded Pat Cummins and his team, who are welcoming home fans to observe their training sessions at the Gabba. The third Test match is scheduled to commence on December 14 in Brisbane.

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