Having been served up “irrelevant” pitches that didn’t spin for tour video games final time they travelled to India, newly minted Allan Border medallist Steve Smith is completely satisfied to keep away from the identical subject this time.
The Australians flew out on Tuesday morning for the four-Test sequence having accomplished their very own preparation for the spinning pitches they’ll get on specifically made wickets in Sydney.
Despite some criticism of the dearth of tour matches, most notably from former Australian captain Michael Clarke, Smith mentioned it was a waste of time once they toured in 2017, a sequence the vacationers misplaced 2-1 when Smith was captain.
He mentioned they served up “green-top” wickets and never the raging turners they wanted publicity to so wasn’t apprehensive concerning the lack of publicity to the brand new circumstances in match-type conditions.
“We normally have two tour games over in England. This time we don’t have a tour game in India,” Smith mentioned earlier than leaving from Sydney airport on Tuesday.
“The last time we went I’m pretty sure we got served up a green top (to practise on) and it was sort of irrelevant.
“Hopefully, we get really good training facilities where the ball is likely to do what it’s likely to do out in the middle, and we can get our practice in.
“We‘ll wait and see when we hit the ground. I think we’ve made the right decision to not play a tour match.
“Like I said, last time they dished up a green top for us and we barely faced any spin, so it‘s kind of irrelevant.
“We’re better off having our own nets and getting spinners in and bowling as much as they can.”
The Australians have been given assurances the apply wickets in India will no less than mirror what they’re more likely to get within the Test matches.
During a camp in Sydney final week, curators produced a apply pitch that was scarified and scuffed up with important cracks to attempt to replicate Indian circumstances. The Aussies additionally used the Indian SG balls.
“We feel as though out there the surfaces we got are very similar to what we‘re going to confront in India which is very difficult to replicate, but we feel as though we’ve got close to that,” Australian coach Andrew McDonald mentioned.
“Often (there’s) no real connection between that practice game into the first Test match. We feel as though we can control the surfaces here … and hopefully it pays dividends at the back end.”
Australia hasn’t gained a sequence in India since 2004 and that’s not misplaced on Smith, who cemented his place in historical past on Monday evening when he gained a fourth Allan Border Medal as one of the best participant in 2022.
“It’s certainly huge. I don’t know if it’s (winning in India) the final frontier,” Smith mentioned.
“I’ve never won there, I’ve been there twice (for Tests), it’s always difficult playing there.
“India and England – our two opponents over the next six months – are probably our biggest as an Australian Test cricketer.
“We’ve got some challenges in front of us, but the guys are ready for it.”
The first Test begins in Nagpur on February 9.
Originally revealed as Australia gained’t play a tour match earlier than the primary Test in India after poor previous experiences
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
