Puri (Odisha): Indian cricket team members visited the Shri Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri ahead of the first T20 match at the Barabati stadium. The players were seen taking blessings ahead of the crucial match. In the morning, the players left for Puri from the Bhubaneswar Mayfair Hotel. Team India coach Gautam Gambhir, Captain Surya Kumar Yadav and his wife, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma and other coaches visited Puri. The coaches and players went to the puri amidst tight security.

The district police has made elaborate security arrangements in Puri in view of the visit of the Indian cricket team members and their coach. Puri Superintendent of Police Pratik Singh said "Additional forces were deployed in the temple premises and Singhdwar. Since fans were expected to gather to see the players, ring-round security arrangements were made with the deployment of a close protection team."

Odisha Cricket Association Member Ravi Shankar Pratihari said "Today, the captain of the Indian cricket team, along with the coach and senior players, had darshan of Lord Jagannath. They sought blessings from Lord Jagannath to maintain India's dominance on Indian soil. Everyone was emotional after seeing lord Jagannath near the Jai Vijaya door."

India will be up against South Africa in the first fixture of the five-match T20I series. The Indian player practised in the Barabati Stadium yesterday. Surya Kumar Yadav informed in the press conference that Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya are both fully fit. After South African players practised in Barabati.