Former Australia wicket-keeper Ian Healy believes the India A players were up to something with the ball which led to the controversial ball change during day four of their first four-day game against Australia A at Mackay. At the Great Barrier Reef Arena, umpires changed the ball before play began on day four due to a scratch on the ball. On-field umpire Shawn Craig was heard saying via stump mic, “When you scratch it, we change the ball. No more discussion, let’s play.” Craig also warned wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan about facing sanction related to dissent after saying the ball change was a “very stupid decision”. But Cricket Australia said after the game ended in a seven-wicket win that the ball was changed due to deterioration and no action would be taken against anyone.
“When you see a team complain about a ball being changed, they were up to something. India A were gearing up for a big reverse swing session in order to get the Australians under pressure. Australia were chasing a small total and it just didn’t happen (for India A). The Australia A batters were oblivious to it. They just put their head down and performed really well,” said Healy on SEN Radio.
He was also angry on India A decision to skip the post-match press conference, even as Australia A skipper Nathan McSweeney attended one and took questions. “Then India, they whinged about it. They didn’t then front the media to deny it.”
“They just closed ranks and didn’t give themselves a chance to sort of say what they thought was happening. But I thought Cricket Australia were clinical, the umpires were good. If they are suspicious about the ball, just change it.”
Healy further believes McSweeny, who made scores of 39 and 88 not out in the seven-wicket win, should open the batting for Australia in the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at Optus Stadium in Perth, starting on November 22.
“If he opens against India A this week at the MCG, it’s not a dress rehearsal, it’s in. Him to me is now in, but let’s just see, Konstas might make a double hundred against India A at the ‘G and be impossible to leave out.”
“But Nathan McSweeney has now been the Australia A captain for a couple of years now … he’s the captaincy type we want to have ready. He has to go in before a 19-year-old or a couple of 30-year-olds, and he’s in the best form of all of them. He’s got to go in and I’d say he should open, I would definitely give him a go at him opening this week.”
Healy signed off by being critical of India’s preparation for the all-important five-match series, especially after cancelling their scheduled intra-squad game at the WACA in Perth and going for centre wicket stimulation practice.
India head to Australia after an unprecedented 3-0 defeat to New Zealand at home, their first Test series loss at home in 12 years, with captain Rohit Sharma and talismanic Virat Kohli not in their best form. “Lucky it is the A team. The actual India team should be playing that game and so to this one at the MCG this week. They are coming off a 3-0 whitewashing against New Zealand.”
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