Cricket Asutralia blames groundsman for watering Nagpur pitch before crucial practice session

After alleging doctored surface in the Nagpur Test, the Australian camp has now made a fresh case alleging a groundsman at VCA had spoiled their practice session.

Pat Cummins-led Australia was left battered by Team India in the first of the four-match Test series, in Nagpur. The Jadeja-Ashwin collab left top-seeded Australian batters completely clueless, as the host secured an inning and 130-run win in the opening clash of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023.

Aussies made a lot of noise around the Nagpur surface ahead of the first Test, alleging it to be too much of a turner, but it seems like the visitors had literally no clue to play even a decent spin. While it was Ravindra Jadeja who picked five wickets in the first innings, R Ashwin took turn in second innings to complete his five-fer.

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Meanwhile, fresh reports have claimed that Australian batters had planned to hold a practice session at the same pitch, which was used during the Nagpur Test.

As reported by cricket.com.au, the Australian management wanted their players to spend some time on the Nagpur surface and go through a litmus test in extreme conditions.

However, things could not go as per the plan because one of the ground staff ‘hoised’ the surface, right after the first Test got over.

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“A member of the VCA group staff was observed hoisting the surface, not long after the first Test was wrapped up. That behavior is quite unusual as Australian management had requested to keep the pitch intact,” a senior official from the Aussie management was quoted by The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald also told Sen that the idea was to let the ‘boys train in extreme conditions.’

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