Indore Test: Early-morning crowd greets Indian players on arrival

INDORE: Indoreans are known to be late risers, but not today. A huge crowd was there to greet Indian players as they arrived sharp at 8 am at Holkar stadium in special chartered bus.
The cricket lovers had been eagerly waiting for the team for over an hour and started cheering for their favourite players and chanted Kohli's name as the bus arrived.
The team entered the stadium through Usha Raje Holkar gate.After 10 minutes, the Bangladeshi players arrived. Some fans yelled Sakib and Liton's name to seek attention.
"I had been waiting for the team for nearly an hour. Although, I couldn't see them all due to curtains, I am happy to witness their arrival," said college student Urvashi Ratan.
Hawkers score in 4s & 6s
Hawkers had a good business outside Holkar and Nehru stadium as fans ensured buying props and tees to keep the spirit high on Thursday.
"I love coming to Indore as I get to do good business here even during Test. I have come from Nagpur," said hawker Santosh Kumar Chandpuriya, who had been selling Tees and hats.
From painting tricolour on face to writing ‘India', ‘I love India', and ‘Virat', painters from Maharashtra had good business till afternoon. While the price of a painting a small flag was Rs 10, getting full face painted cost Rs 150.
A special day for NGO kids
On Children's Day, eight children from Indore society for mentally challenged got the opportunity to watch the Test from stands.
Society's superintendent Shashi Dubey told TOI that MPCA secretary Sanjiv Rao provided the passes. Eight children will be taken to enjoy the international Test match every day.
She added that the society shelters around 55 children and most of them are fond of cricket. During the match, the children were very happy to see their favorite cricket players.
Security arrangements
Over 1000 policemen had been deployed at various points across the stadium to keep things under control on the first day of the Test.
A squad of five policemen on horses had been deployed at four different areas around the stadium for patrolling, TI Rajeev Singh Bhadoria told TOI.
Out of 20 horses, 10 were from first battalion and remaining were from Army Physical Training Corps (APTC).
"We had been deployed since 6:30am. I have been placed in all the matches played in Indore in a span of over three decades," Prakash Korde of first battalion.
Besides cops, guards and bouncers of a private security service had also been positioned across the stadium.
Things not permissible:
College student Shikha Sharma who had come to watch the match for the first time was intercepted at security gates right before entering the stadium as she was carrying her bag along.
"The ticket checkers didn't see the small backpack and let me in queue after checking my identity card and tickets. When I reached the second check, they didn't permit us. I had to walk nearly 2km to keep my bag," she added.
Items such as plastic bags, water pouches, disposable bottles and sticks of national flag were not allowed. Radio, camera, helmet, mirror, handbag, firecrackers, transistor, matchbox, raincoat, bottle, cigarette, laptop, injections, tiffin, box, flammable items, big ladies' bag, knife or any other weapon, power bank, liquor or any alcoholic substance, and selfie stick were prohibited.
Traffic load:
Road from Indraprasth square passing by Zanjeerwala Square to RNT Marg was converted into a single lane as barricades were made on one lane for audience to enter the stadium.
Colonies located around the stadium were jam-packed with two-wheelers and four-wheelers making it difficult for residents to commute. To clear mismanagement of vehicles, traffic police had to tow vehicles parked haphazardly and clear parking space.