Melbourne:
Call it a huge communication gap between the Indian cricket team and the jumbo-size media contingent present here, there is very little or no clarity on the fitness issues of players.
Ravichandran Ashwin had a rap on the knuckles at the practice session yesterday but he did bowl after that. But with media activity shunned save pre and post-match conferences, it became difficult to confirm Ashwin’s fitness status.
A day after came Indian team’s media manager Dr R N Baba’s terse two-sentence media release.
“We are receiving so many calls from the media about Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s fitness. Above players are very much available for selection for match against South Africa,” the press release read.
‘Love lock’ on Yarra Bridge:
If you are an Indian cricket fan standing in-front of Hotel Langham for hours for one glimpse of Virat Kohli, provided he comes out, you can always have an alternate option to bide time.
Just walk down 50 metres behind the Team Hotel and you are on a footbridge on the River Yarra. The most intriguing aspect are the few thousands of locks of various shapes and sizes being tied on the fencing of the bridge with names of couples written or inscribed on it. Ask a local as to what it is, he will tell you, “This is a ‘Love Lock’ where couples pray for an ever-lasting relationship.”
With no sign of Kohli coming out of the hotel, some of the Indian couples thought it’s better to pledge their love than wait for selfies.
Albert Park track not a F1 ‘White Elephant’:
Just about 100 metres down St Kilda’s Junction Oval is the Melbourne Grand Prix F1 track Albert Park. The race day is February 26 and preparations are in full swing as the makeshift portable galleries are being put in place.
The drivers’ paddocks are all in place but the best part is that F1 track is a road which can be used by the public. If one takes a detour of the track, the cabbie will tell you that it would only close down three days before the race. During other times, one can’t cross the speed limit while driving on the track. Once the race is over, the Albert Park track can again be used as a normal road by the citizens.
