Australia vs India: Indian team cancels intra-squad practice match, to focus on net and training sessions instead

Hyderabad: The think-tank and the core leadership group of the Indian cricket team has decided to cancel a three-day intra-squad match to give more time for net practice and training sessions ahead of the first Test match against Australia in Perth.

The Indian cricket team was scheduled to play an intra-squad match against an India ‘A’ side at the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) ground in Perth before the first Test commences but the Indian team has chosen to focus on net and training sessions instead.

It is learnt that the core group, including the head coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Rohit Sharma and many senior players, opined that since the main strip at the WACA ground in Perth is akin to the 22 yards at the Optus Stadium, where India and Australia play the first Test match, the players would want to have more net practice on the centre wicket.

If an intra-squad match is played and if a top-order or a middle-order batter gets out quickly, he wouldn’t have enough time to understand how the wicket plays and get more time in the middle, opined the core think-tank.

Hence, the team has decided to cancel the intra-squad match and focus on net sessions, thereby giving every batter enough and more time, over the course of three days, to get used to the conditions that could be on offer. The net sessions would be on from November 15 to 17 with the first Test match starting on November 18.

India and Australia will play five Test matches for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the first Test will be played in Perth. The second Test will be played at the Adelaide Oval and it will be a day-night Test match, played with the pink ball.

The Gabba will play host to the third Test while Melbourne and Sydney will host the fourth and fifth – the Boxing Day and the New Year – Test matches.

India won the last two Test series played in Australia and the Indian team will be looking to keep the record intact, especially after losing the ongoing Test series to New Zealand, India’s first home series loss in 12 years.