Team India forced to stay indoors due to security alert before 2nd Test: Reports
The Indian cricket team was briefly confined to a hotel in Birmingham after police probed a suspicious package near Centenary Square.
The Indian men's cricket team is safe and in good spirits despite a brief security concern that saw them confined to their hotel rooms in Birmingham. The incident unfolded when local police advised the players not to step out of their hotel following the detection of a suspicious parcel near Centenary Square. The team had just returned after a practice session on the eve of the second Test at Edgbaston when the advisory was issued.
A team spokesperson confirmed that there was no cause for alarm. "Everything is fine," the spokesperson told IANS in response to queries. Social media platforms, however, were abuzz with speculation, with several posts claiming the Indian players were being held inside due to a security scare. The post added, “The Indian team in Birmingham has been advised to stay indoors after Police cordoned off the Centenary Square area following reports of a suspicious package being found in the area.”
West Midlands Police confirmed that a cordon had been temporarily established around Centenary Square to assess the unattended parcel, which had sparked concern. Fortunately, the situation was resolved swiftly—the cordon was lifted within an hour after investigations revealed there was no threat.
Team Gears Up Amid Disruption
The Indian team is presently concentrating on preparations for the second Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series at Edgbaston. They had arrived in Birmingham last week after the conclusion of the first Test at Headingley in Leeds, where they suffered a narrow defeat.
See Also: Key pointers from Shubman Gill press conference ahead of 2nd Test between England and India
England, led by Ben Stokes, took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after successfully chasing down 371 runs on the final day to seal a five-wicket win. While five Indians were in the match, a poor performance from the lower order and poor fielding cost them dearly. Under the leadership of Shubman Gill, India will be looking to regroup and come back strong in the second Test.
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