Only financial power India enjoys rock star treatment in cricket

It can be a bewildering sight to see fans walking around with ladders next to a cricket pitch. But it is quite common when India is in town. As was the case when they recently started their Australian tour in Perth.

Fans resorted to these drastic measures as India's first training sessions at the iconic WACA ground were closed to the public, with large shade cloth covering the entire nets.

There was speculation that the blanket ban was due to India wanting to train in secret, with the local tabloid spreading 'lockdown' headlines like a madman waving a gun around the WACA.

But it is believed the tarp was enforced for safety reasons and to ensure crowds of fans did not congregate on the walkways with a busy school nearby.

Whatever the reason, fans and media stood on retaining walls on the first day of India's training to catch a glimpse of the Indians doing their best.

Some even poked holes in the shade cloth with their nails, while other adventurous souls climbed a tree overlooking the nets. A security guard on patrol tried to throw his weight around, but mostly to no avail.

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Upon arrival on India's second day of training, fans were greeted by a shade cloth that had been extended in length. Simply climbing onto retaining walls was now pointless. But some Indian fans were well prepared as they came armed with ladders to ensure they could watch their heroes ramp up their Border-Gavaskar preparations.

The rather funny scenes reinforced that the Indian team are rock stars in cricket. No other team has this kind of exalted status and generates so much enthusiasm. Australia's star players can walk through their own streets and hardly attract much attention. While Virat Kohli, India's old talisman, is actually plastered on the back page of the local Perth newspaper.

It can be easy to be cynical about India. Their governing body is filthy rich, yet they get the lion's share of the sport's governing body's revenue. India has refused to play bitter foe Pakistan due to a government ban, causing chaos in major tournament planning.

Currently, the upcoming Champions Trophy to be played in Pakistan is in limbo due to India's refusal to travel there. The UAE will likely co-host with India (and the knockout stages) to play all their matches there.

There are also fears that the money-hungry Indian Premier League will expand to the extent that it will effectively wipe out international cricket.

But despite that, it's impossible not to get caught up in the traveling circus of Indian cricket and the genuine passion of their fans, who usually outnumber the home fans on the field.

There was a question from a journalist addressed to Australian bowler Josh Hazlewood during the first Test whether it was strange for Indian fans to dominate the crowd in Australia. “We're used to it,” Hazlewood said simply.

Australian journalists also tend to be in the minority in the press, as Indian media – from traditional newspapers to YouTube stars – are present in large numbers.

During the press exclusion for the Indian training, some eager Indian journalists had arrived early in the city and tried to catch a glimpse from the only vantage point: a parking lot on a slope about 100 meters away.

Cars stopped as Indian fans took their chance to meet and take photos with reporters, who have a much higher profile than their Australian counterparts.

It was yet another example of the status of Indian cricket, by far the most popular sport in a country of more than a billion people.

Cricket is fortunate to have India as its heartbeat. There is a sensory overload and it can be a whirlwind, but following the India team is an unforgettable experience.