Cricket Australia (CA) has responded to Indian head coach Ravi Shastri’s request for more warm-up matches ahead of the four-match Test series starting December 6 in Adelaide. The Indian team under the leadership of Virat Kohli faced a demoralizing loss of 1-4 in the five-match Test series against England and most of the pundits have suggested that the lack of practice game has given such result to the visitors.
Though India will start the tour Down Under with three Twenty20 international games, it has a 10-day gap between the last T20 fixture and the first day of the first Test. CA is yet to receive an official request from the BCCI, but they are willing to consider the idea.
As quoted in cricket.com.au, a Cricket Australia spokesperson said, “We are happy to discuss options with the BCCI, but we have not received any formal notification to increase the number of tour matches prior to their series commencing in Australia.”
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On Thursday, Shastri said he was not against the concept of playing practice games. As quoted in ESPNCricinfo, he said, “Absolutely not. Why would we be? You can only see the results (in the England Tests). Every time after the second Test we have improved. You can still get better. But why can’t we be in that position in the first Test match?”
Australia and India are scheduled to play three T20Is ahead of the Adelaide Test and Shastri said India had “requested a couple of (warm-up) games in Australia before the Test series commenced”.
India will be playing three T20 internationals, four Test matches, and three ODIs from November, 21 to January 18, during their tour to Australia. India was beaten 2-0 in the four-match Test series on their last tour of Australia in 2014-15.
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Prior to the series, India will be hosting West Indies at home while South Africa will leave for Australia for three ODIs and a T20; scheduling of the warm-up games could be challenging.
