The Australian cricket team and Nagpur pitch saga has continued even after India defeated them by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 four-match series.
The Pat Cummins-led Kangaroos managed only 177 and 91 in two innings, while India posted 400 runs. No Australian batter managed to score a half-century while Rohit Sharma made 120, Ravindra Jadeja made 70 and Akshar Patel made his Test-best 84 runs.
Jadeja also starred with the ball, picking 7 wickets including a fifer, while Ashwin took 8 wickets which included a five-wicket haul.
Now a report suggested that the Australian team management had planned to use the Nagpur pitch for further practice after the first Test ended in three days. The second Test of the series will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, which has a pitch similar to that of Nagpur with slow and low bounce.
However, as per a report in Cricket.com.au, their plan didn’t succeed as Vidarbha Cricket Association ground staff watered the surface after the match ended.
“A member of the VCA Stadium groundstaff was observed hosing down the pitch after the Australians left the VCA Stadium on Saturday afternoon not long after India had wrapped up an innings victory inside three days.
While watering the wicket square after Test finishes is far from unusual, the Australians had requested the pitch be kept intact to allow their misfiring top-order valuable additional practice the following afternoon,” said Cricket Australia.
Australia coach Andrew McDonald on Radio Station SEN admitted that they had planned a session after the match ended early.
Even captain Pat Cummins admitted that Australian batters needed to find a way to counter the Indian spinners and said that the team had to put runs on the board to put pressure on India.
(Indian Express inputs)
