Team India arrival: CA officials get timing wrong

Captain Virat Kohli and Director cricket Ravi Shastri at a press conference in Mumbai, Ravi Shastri is confident that Virat Kohli will be equal to the task of leading India on the tour of Australia. Photo: Vivek Bendre

Cricket Australia’s officials were all geared up on Saturday morning to receive the Indian cricket team for the much-anticipated Test and limited-overs series Down Under -- the only problem was that they got the timing of the visitors’ arrival wrong.

A miscommunication led to officials leaving in a huff after learning that the visiting team will land later in the day, according to a report.

The India team was expected to fly into Adelaide just after 9 am (local time) on Saturday and a CA liaison officer was waiting to greet them and police were clearing a path for their smooth exit from the international arrivals hall.

A few Indian cricket fans waited anxiously with phones ready to take a photo of their heroes but they never showed, a report in

‘Daily Telegraph’ said.

According to CA, a miscommunication led to their flight not even departing Singapore when they were originally expected to be landing in Adelaide ahead of a tour match starting at Glenelg on Monday.

Shortly after 10am (local time), when it became apparent the Indians were not there, police and the CA liaison officer made a swift exit, leaving fans and the media to work it out for themselves.

The Indians are now expected to touch down in Adelaide at 6pm and have their first training run at Glenelg on Sunday.

India will play two two-day tour matches against CA XI in Adelaide this week. The first will be held at Glenelg Oval from Monday and the second begins at Adelaide Oval on Friday before India flies to Brisbane for the First Test starting on December 4.