The Pat Cummins-led Australian team had reportedly planned to prepare for the upcoming second Test of the ongoing Broder-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 four-match series in Delhi, by practicing on the same Nagpur pitch that was used for the first Test match.
However, unfortunately for them, the Nagpur stadium curators didn’t let their plans materialize as they watered the pitch after the match ended within three days as India registered massive innings and a 132-run win.
Australian team could only manage 177 and 91 runs on the pitch which had much written about it by Australian media and former Aussies cricketers had also spoken about the demons of the Nagpur pitch once the pictures of the strip were shared on social media.
No Aussie batter went past Marnus Labuschagne’s 49, but on the other hand, Rohit Sharma scored 120, Akshar Patel hit his career-best 84 and Ravindra Jadeja slammed 70 runs.
While Todd Murphy had an excellent debut, picking 7/124, the Indian spinner ran through the Aussie batting, with Jadeja picking 7 wickets and Ashwin taking 8 wickets with both taking fifers respectively.
Nagpur Ground Staff Waters The Pitches In Center Of Nagpur Stadium, Keeping Australian Team From Practicing On It
Australia’s team management asked the VCA ground staff if they could leave the centre wicket and training pitches up in order for players to train on Sunday afternoon. But the ground staff were watering the centre wicket on Saturday night after the team had left the ground.
The visitors wanted to have an optional session with five players in the squad set to head to the stadium on Sunday afternoon. But those pitches were watered as well, thwarting the Australian management plans, a report in ESPNCricinfo said.
“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,” Cricket Australia said.
Australia coach Andrew McDonald on Radio Station SEN admitted that they had a planned session after the match ended early.
The second Test begins in Delhi on February 17 onwards.