Australia vs India, Border Gavaskar Trophy, Latest News, Updates, Perth Test, Optus Stadium, WACA

Former Australian star David Warner has backed Nathan McSweeney to succeed as Test opener, ignoring comments from former national teammate Ed Cowan.

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Earlier this week, Cowan made headlines after declaring McSweeney's selection was a gamble, arguing he lacks the technique and temperament to open in Tests.

However, Warner disagreed, telling Fox Cricket: I just want everyone to be positive and wish him well. I think he can go out and play a few games and maybe score points, maybe not score points, (but) give him a chance. Let him discover the greatness of playing cricket for Australia and carving out a new position for himself.

I don't think it was a gamble – those were Ed's words – but from that perspective I think he totally deserved it.

And what he has been shown is that he is compact. I like the way he goes about his business. He definitely has the technique to play Test cricket and he will learn as he progresses.

DON'T WATCH: LEAKED EMAIL REVEALS INDIA PARANOIA

A leaked email to construction workers at the WACA Ground revealed that they were banned from taking photos or videos of India's preparations for next week's first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Perth, or even watching them.

The absurd measures came about as India used the WACA nets and organized intra-squad center wicket practices to adapt to the pace and bounce expected in the series opener at the Optus Stadium from November 22.

The hype surrounding the five-Test series between the two sides who met in the final of last year's World Test Championship is flourishing, but India are not playing ball with the crowd or the local workers as they seemed to shut out anyone who was not involved in the inner sanctum.

The email from Adam Sauzier of ADCO Constructions – the company building the WACA redevelopment scheduled for completion next year – gave strict instructions to staff members.

This week, India and India A will train at the WACA Ground from Tuesday, November 12 to Sunday, November 17, as part of India's preparation for the Test match at the Perth Stadium the following week, the email said.

Do not take photos or videos during any training, do not fly drones of the training or sit and watch the sessions.

The veil of secrecy is not unusual as India has taken similar measures in the past, but not to this extreme extent, although it is worth noting that accredited photographers appeared to gain access to the sessions.

Following their whitewash at home by New Zealand, pressure is mounting on the Indian team, including a sharp focus on new coach Gautam Gambhir, superstar Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma – who is likely to miss the start of the series due to the birth of his second child.

Sharma's absence leaves India baffled, but the composition of the Indian team is being closely monitored by the extensive security – which did not quite work as planned during Wednesday's training session.

The full team hit the nets and the WACA outfield for the first time, but they failed to keep everyone out.

Reporters were refused entry, but the press and enthusiastic members of the public managed to get a small viewing spot behind the nets when the ghosts of the guards were elsewhere.

Indian officials invited Getty Images photographer Paul Kane to take photos of the session, but he wasn't the only one who managed to get behind the lens.

The Sydney Morning Herald spoke to a Perth resident who watched the entire training from the window of a nearby office building.

They witness a fairly normal session that did not require such a veil of secrecy.

Apparently, the Indian cricket teams' secret training approach involves playing the occasional game of musical chairs to break up what otherwise seems just like normal fielding and net practice, the fan said. No center wicket hit, just regular drills today.

Meanwhile, other news outlets brought out ladders and drones to try to take pictures of what was happening.

-INDIA LOCKDOWN WACA-

In scenes more reminiscent of a capital state coming to town than a cricket team, India on Wednesday implemented extensive security measures at their pre-series training camp at the WACA.

To keep any state secrets from getting out, black tarps surrounded the WACA Grounds nets and WA Cricket staff were banned from using their mobile phones outside their offices.

Filming was also banned in the ground and staff were banned from certain parts of the police station.

Even Cricket Australia officials were reportedly unsure of what India's exact plans were for their preparations.

The WACA nets are normally visible from the street, but the crowd won't get a glimpse of India's cricket heroes at all before the first Test at Optus Stadium.

Their three-day warm-up match between the teams, played from Friday to Sunday, is now closed to the public as the Board of Control for Cricket in India makes the run-up to the Border Gavaskar Trophy as airtight as possible.

It all sounds like a covert operation from an action movie, but over the years it has become commonplace in India.

They implemented similar safety measures when they were last in Perth – ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup – but during that tour they played at least two test matches against a WA invitational team that was open to the public.

English Premier League football club Manchester United also employed a high level of security measures when they were in Perth on a pre-season trip two years ago.

– EARLY PITCH HINT SETS FIERY OPENER –

Optus Stadiums Chief Curator Isaac McDonald will welcome India with a pace, bounce and crack reminiscent of the old-school WACA when the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy begins on Friday, November 22.

India's famous victory in Australia four years ago did not include a Test match in Perth, and they have played at Optus Stadium only once before when the Australians recorded their only win of the series in 2018/19.

The venue has previously hosted just four Tests – all of which Australia have won – and last year's encounter with Pakistan was played on a lively pitch that opened up with cracks as the match progressed, and had a healthy amount of grass that provided plenty. the fast bowlers despite a century from David Warner that led Australia to a first innings total of 487.

This time we can expect more of the same.

This is Australia, this is Perth… I'm preparing for a really good pace, a really good bounce and a really good carry, McDonald told ESPNcricinfo. In a perfect world I want to match last year.

Against Pakistan, ten millimeters of grass was left on the pitch and the liveliness led to Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith all taking blows.

Labuschagne stated after the game that it was one of the toughest pitches he had ever hit, but McDonald believes it was almost perfect.

Ten millimeters was quite comfortable under the conditions we had [last year] and that kept the conditions together nicely for the first few days. Living grass on the field means speed, McDonald said.

Both bowling units were quite fast last year and will be hoping for the same this year. But as we saw last year, good hitters were able to take charge of the game, put balls away and score runs quickly.

The Test pitch will be different from the one used in Sunday's ODI where Australia were blown away by Pakistan's quicks.

Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj would have licked their lips seeing the bounce and carry that the likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Lance Morris pulled out.

Despite the way the Australian batsmen made it look, it was far from unplayable, and McDonald is looking for that kind of balance for next week's Test.

Every wicket you take is based on conditions. You have to stick to the conditions and make educated guesses about your moisture levels and how much rolling to do, McDonald said.

It's a juggling act, but hopefully the competition will come on day five or the final session of day four, just like last year. If we can get some nice cracks later in the game… the game will take care of itself.