Team India has started preparing for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the WACA Ground in Perth, with the venue under strict security measures to prevent public viewing. According to Australia media reports, the WACA Ground is currently under a lockdown, and the venue has been covered with nets to keep preparations confidential. Reports suggest that the Indian team is quietly gearing up for the five-match Test series, with restricted access not only for the public but also for staff, who have been banned from using mobile phones.
The team is set to conduct a match simulation at WACA to prepare for the first Test, which will be held at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Originally, India was scheduled to play a practice match against India A at WACA, but the plan was scrapped due to time constraints.
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Captain Rohit Sharma explained the change in plans after India’s defeat to New Zealand in the second Test at Pune. “Instead of a practice match, we planned a match simulation with India A. With a squad of 19 players and only three days allotted, we felt it was better to have a session where batters could spend more time in the middle and bowlers could bowl more balls,” Sharma said. “Game time isn’t a problem for us, and this approach will allow us to prepare better.”
Following the first Test at Optus Stadium on November 22, India will play a warm-up match against the Prime Minister’s XI to prepare for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. The remaining three Tests will be held in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
India must win at least four matches in the series to secure qualification for the World Test Championship (WTC) final without depending on other results.
