Team India will tour Australia later this year to play five Tests Down Under. This will be the first time since the 1991-92 season that the two heavyweights will meet over 5 Tests in a tour. India won back-to-back Test series in Australia, including their last trip Down Under in 2020-21. The Indian team, led by Virat Kohli back then, played three ODIs, as many T20Is, and two three-day practice matches before the Test series. However, the preparation will be a bit different in the lead up to the five-match series.
According to a report in Cricbuzz, India’s only warm-up game in Australia will be an internal contest. The senior men’s team will take on the touring India ‘A’ side, also comprising of some Test regulars.
The India ‘A’ team will arrive in Australia few weeks earlier than the Rohit Sharma-led senior side. They will play two games against Australia ‘A’. However, the India ‘A’ team will stay in Australia for a bit longer to play a three-day internal match against the senior team.
The report also claimed that the internal practice match will be played at the WACA Ground in Perth from November 15 to 17. Meanwhile, the first Test betweem India and Australia will be played at the new venue in Perth, Optus Stadium, from November 22.
Ruturaj Gaikwad will captain India ‘A’ during the tour. They are scheduled to play two games against Australia ‘A’. The first game will be played at the Great Barrier Reef Arena from October 31 to November 3, while the Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the second unofficial game from November 7 to 10.
“It’s (an) internal (match), so up to India how they use the game. Maybe some of the Test players may play in the India A games but again up to the BCCI. Not many countries seem to play warm up games these days. Australia didn’t play any before the last series in India,” a Cricket Australia official told Cricbuzz.
The BCCI selectors are yet to finalise the India ‘A’ squad, but it is expected to come out in the coming days.
The Australia ‘A’ side, on the other hand, will be announced on Monday (October 14) by chief selector George Bailey during a press conference.
Bailey is also expected to provide an update on the fitness off all-rounder Cameron Green, is in doubt of the five-match series due to a back injury.
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