MELBOURNE: Cricket Australia has responded positively to India coach Ravi Shastri’s request for more warm-up matches ahead of their Test series Down Under later this year.
India only had one practice match ahead of their recent Test series against England – which they lost 1-4 – and Shastri believes his side would be better prepared to tackle Australia if more red-ball cricket was scheduled prior to the first Test in Adelaide starting on December 6. “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,” a Cricket Australia spokesperson was quoted as saying.
In England, even the lone four-day practice match against county side Essex was reduced to three days amid high drama over the condition of the pitch and the outfield, both of which apparently left the visitors unhappy. On Thursday, Shastri said he was not averse to the idea of playing practice games. “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?,” he was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. Australia and India are scheduled to play three T20 matches prior to the Adelaide Test and Shastri said India had “requested a couple of (warm-up) games in Australia before the Test series commenced”. India are slated to tour Australia for three T20 internationals, four Test matches and three ODIs from November 21 to January 18. India were beaten 2-0 in the four-Test series on their last tour of Australia in 2014-15. However Shastri insisted that India had shown improvement during their tour of England, and lauded them for being competitive but acknowledged that the team was trying to address their inability to close out games.
“It was a tough tour,” said Shastri in an interview with media channel. “And tough lessons to be learned. Deep down we know in every Test match barring Lord’s we had our chances. Lord’s we lost and Nottingham we won. In the other three Tests we had our chances big time.”
“There are plenty of positives to take away, but it is time now to address why we have come so close.” He said. (PTI)
