Border-Gavaskar Trophy: WACA Ground in lockdown as India arrive for top-secret training camp in Perth

Western Australia’s traditional home of cricket is in lockdown as it is taken over by India for a top-secret training camp in Perth ahead of The West Test.

India and its superstars, including Virat Kohli, touched down in Australia in groups between Sunday and Tuesday, escaping fierce scrutiny from their home country in the wake of an historic clean-sweep by New Zealand on the subcontinent.

Their guard is up in Perth like never before as they ramp up preparations for a blockbuster five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

The WACA Ground nets, normally open for viewing by the public, have been covered in black tarps so they are not visible from the street.

The West Australian understands WA Cricket staff members have been banned from using their mobile phones outside their offices, filming inside the ground and from using certain areas of the precinct.

A training session was cancelled on Tuesday morning, with further sessions set for the WACA Ground nets on Wednesday and Thursday.

A three-day intra-squad warm up match scheduled to be played from Friday to Sunday is now closed to the public after the squad’s governing body, the Board for Cricket Control in India, intervened.

Even Cricket Australia officials were left in the dark about the arrival of the India team ahead of the first of five Tests which begins on Friday week at Optus Stadium.

It’s the highest level of security around a visiting sporting squad since English Premier League giant Manchester United toured in 2022.

India put in place similar security measures when they were based in Perth ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, but they did make two practice games against a WA invitational team open to the public on that tour.

Members of the India squad, including keeper Ishan Kishan, who faced off against Australia A in Mackay, arrived at the WACA on Tuesday afternoon via bus.