The illustrious Australian wicket-keeper Ian Healy has taken a shot at India by stating that the reason Pat Cummins’ side will not play a tour game on the subcontinent prior to the Test series is because “we no longer trust” the facilities that will be provided by the host nation. Healy made this statement in response to India’s decision to not play a tour game on the subcontinent.
A member of the Australian team, Usman Khawaja, recently stated that there was no point in playing practise games because the wickets that were prepared for tour fixtures and actual matches in India were very different from one another. As a result, Australia will not play a single tour game prior to the Border-Gavaskar series, which will consist of four tests.
“Have you ever pre-tourned with us (in Australia) before? They can have spinning wickets when we play on them, but when we go to the practise matches in India, the wickets are more like green Gabba, so what’s the point? “Earlier this month, Khawaja was quoted as saying something during a press conference.
Healy concurred with Khawaja’s assessment that it would be beneficial to bring all of the spinners on the travelling team together in Sydney before the tour to allow them to practise on fields that were similar to those in India.
“We have convened a meeting of our spinners in Sydney with the purpose of having strategic discussions (on replica India surfaces). We can no longer have faith that the facilities a nation has sought will be supplied for it “On Monday, Healy stated on SEN Radio what he had to say.
“By the way, both you and I have been complicit in this scheme… When we’re over there (in England), we spend our time griping about the weaker county teams that England fielded against us before the series began.”
According to Healy, the practise that some home boards have adopted of preparing distinct sets of wickets for tour games and actual matches constitutes a breach of “faith,” and he does not approve of this tendency.
“Our focus in cricket has turned away from providing opportunities and experiences for our greatest up-and-coming cricketers. Instead, we are denying touring teams quality preparation before highly anticipated series, which is something I do not enjoy.
He continued, “It’s disheartening to observe such destruction of confidence between the nations who play cricket, and it needs to stop.”
Khawaja had earlier stated that it was a “fine idea” not to play tour games, implying that they serve little use, and Australia will open their Test series against India at Nagpur on February 9.
“I believe that we have finally acquired some knowledge. When I found out that we weren’t going to have a practise game, I walked over to Andrew McDonald, our head coach, and told him that I thought it was a good idea “Recent statements made by Khawaja include.
The last time Australia won a Test series in India was in 2004/05, thus the team is eager to change their luck on the subcontinent on the next tour.
“We’re going to India without a whole lot of practise in India under our belts, let alone England later in the year, where we haven’t won since 2001,” Healy added. Touring teams seem to all be having trouble these days, and here we are again: we’re going to India without a whole lot of Indian practise under our belts.
However, Healy believes that playing a tour match approximately halfway through the Test series would be a smart move because it would provide the seven touring party reserves with some valuable match practise.
“They (Australia) are currently in India, where they are hopeful that everything will fall into place, and the squad is currently refreshing themselves with net practise… The members of our coaching team are satisfied with this, and for the time being I will trust what they have to say.
However, I would like watching a tour match in between the second and third Tests that are being played in India… I think it would be awesome if the game was played over three days so that our seven reserves (out of the 18-man team) could get some nice game time over there “Healy remarked.
