The Indian team trained at St Peter's College ground in Adelaide, home to Nobel Laureates, Rhodes scholars and politicians.
A noted institution in Adelaide, the college stresses on moulding the all-round personality of its students. That is certainly evident in the number of reputed students who have graduated from there.
In 2010, the college was rated equal seventh among schools in Australia. The three Nobel laureates from the college are Sir William Lawrence Bragg, Howard Walter Florey and J Robin Warren.
The training facility for cricket is a huge area; then, there is an Olympic size swimming pool. It is the perfect setting for any budding sportsman to indulge in his passion.
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The Indians practised at the venue for two days and were eminently satisfied with the outcome of the training routine. The students at the college were busy with their classes on the opening day and took time out only during breaks. But on Friday, the final day of their practice, quite a few of them turned up to watch the players being put through their paces.
Some of them came with Indian flags to bid goodbye to the team. The players got into the bus, but did not oblige autograph seekers. The bus finally left without the fans being assuaged. There was a feeling that the likes of Michael Clarke and David Warner may have obliged their small group of supporters had they been sought after like this.
India's team director, Ravi Shastri, though, is keen to drive away all negative influences around his players.
"I will not allow any negativity to come near my team. I am sure the team will peak when the right time will come," said Shastri.
The Pakistan team trained at the Adelaide Oval. There was no discussion about the fines levied on eight players who broke curfew hours. The attitude was "dekh lenge" (we shall see) on Sunday. The Pakistan camp is looking at the India match as just another day for now.
All the focus at the Indian and Pakistan training sessions was on one man, Mohammad Irfan. At seven feet one inch, he is the world's tallest cricketer. The tall gangling fast bowler reckons that when he wears his shoes, he rises to as tall as seven feet three inches.
Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah too is very tall. It prompted the Indian team to use a unique method to tackle the two bowlers. Someone from the support staff stood atop a chair and hurled the ball at the batsmen.
On an otherwise cloudy day with a slight drizzle in the air, the Indian players were joined in by Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Their captain drove to practice straight from the airport after attending the opening ceremony in Melbourne on Thursday night.
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