Narendra Modi and Australian PM to visit venue during opening day of India vs Australia 3rd Test

Security
has
been
increased
at
the
venue
for
the
same
as
the
two
leaders’ visit
is
part
of
the
celebrations
relating
to
the
75
years
of
Indo-Australia
friendship.

While
PM
Modi
has
earlier
visited
the
refurbished
1.10
lakh
capacity
stadium
during
the
inauguration
of
the
National
Games
last
year,
this
is
the
first
time
he
will
be
watching
a
Test
match
after
its
renaming.

Both
the
PMs
are
expected
to
take
a
round
of
the
stadium
on
a
gold-plated
golf
car.

“It
was
the
same
golf
car
on
which
the
honourable
PM
had
also
taken
a
lap
of
honour
during
National
Games
at
this
very
venue,” a
local
official
told
the
agency.

The
Special
Protection
Group
(SPG)
has
taken
charge
of
the
stadium
and
one
can
expect
a
record
100,000
people
turning
up
on
day
one,
which
would
beat
maximum
attendance
at
the
Eden
Gardens
(88,000-90,000)
during
Christmas
Test
matches
before
its
capacity
got
reduced
to
67,000.

Seventy-five
thousand
tickets
collectively
of
prices
Rs
200
and
Rs
350
have
been
sold.
Several
hoardings
of
the
two
PMs
adorned
the
outer
perimeter
of
the
stadium.
A
portable
dais
has
been
set
up
on
one
end
in
front
of
the
sightscreen
for
a
short
function
before
the
start
of
the
match
and
it
will
be
removed
once
the
programme
is
over.

On
Wednesday,
even
watching
optional
practice
session
of
the
two
teams
became
difficult
due
to
security
protocols
put
in
place.

Asked
if
the
presence
of
the
two
heads
of
state
and
a
near
full
capacity
stadium
create
more
pressure
on
the
players,
India
captain
Rohit
Sharma
said
that
his
men
are
focussed
on
the
job
in
hand.

“Yeah,
the
Prime
Ministers
of
both
countries
are
coming.
Obviously,
it’s
an
exciting
time.
For
players,
we’ve
got
a
job
at
hand.
So
the
talk
is
just
around
that…
how
we’re
going
to
come
on
top
of
this
Test
match
and
try
and
do
everything
we
can
to
win
this
Test,”
Rohit
said
on
the
eve
of
the
match.

Head
coach
Rahul
Dravid
had
earlier
said
that
big
crowd
won’t
put
pressure
on
the
Indian
players
as
many
of
them
are
used
to
playing
in
front
of
jam-packed
stadiums.

With
inputs
from
PTI