India A faced off against Australia A in a four-day unofficial Test match at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, running from October 31 to November 3. Australia A emerged victorious with a seven-wicket win, but the match’s final day was clouded by controversy, as India A was accused of alleged ball-tampering.
Umpire Shawn Craig raised concerns over unusual scratches on the ball, prompting him to replace it with a new one. The incident left India A players visibly unhappy, especially with the lack of response to their objections. Ishan Kishan received a warning for questioning the decision, though the umpires remained firm.
At the start of Day 4, Australia A needed just 225 runs to secure victory, with India A defending around 80 runs. The accusations of ball tampering came as a surprise, sparking speculation about India A’s tactics to create a reverse swing in their favour. Former Australian cricketer Ian Healy voiced strong opinions on the matter, suggesting that the Indian team was indeed attempting to manipulate the ball to generate reverse swing, aiming to pressure the Australian batsmen.
ALSO READ: Rahul Dravid Reveals Rajasthan Royals’ Strategic Approach To Retentions and Auction Plans
“When a team complains about a ball change, it’s usually because they were up to something,” Ian Healy told SENQ. “India A were trying to create a reverse swing session to trouble the Australians, but the Australian batsmen stayed focused and executed well.”
Despite the setback, India A is gearing up for their next match against Australia A at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting November 7. Key players Abhimanyu Easwaran and Nitish Kumar Reddy are expected to play significant roles, with both also part of India’s senior men’s squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
WATCH – Pat Cummins’ Deadly Bouncer Dismisses Kamran Ghulam In Thrilling ODI Clash
India A squad for Australia Tour
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vc), Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Baba Indrajith, Ishan Kishan (wk), Abishek Porel (wk), Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, Navdeep Saini, Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian.
