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Indian media in Australia reported that MCG had different practice pitches for the hosts and the visitors.
The two sets of pitches at the MCG. (X)
Matt Page, the pitch curator of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has denied deliberately giving India and Australia different tracks for preparations ahead of the Boxing Day Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the venue. Page said India came too early, adding that fresh wickets were only available three days before the beginning of the Test.
Indian media in Australia reported on Saturday that the pitches that Rohit Sharma and his team used to practice were weathered and had variable bounce. On the other hand, a separate set of shiny tracks was reportedly reserved at the venue, apparently for the hosts Australia who were scheduled to begin their preparations only on Sunday.
“For us, three days out, we prepare Test match pitches for here. If teams come and train before that, they get what pitches we have had. Today, we are on fresh pitches. If India had trained this morning, they would have been on those fresh pitches. It’s stock standard procedure for us, three days out,” Page said, as quoted by local newspaper WAtoday.
It even led to injury scares for Rohit, opener KL Rahul and pacer Akash Deep.
“Such blows are common when you play cricket,” Akash told media at MCG when asked about him and Rohit. “I think this (practice) wicket was for white ball which is why the ball kept low at times. But these blows are common in training. There are no major concerns because of that.”
Page added that the MCG track should ‘excite’ fast-bowlers, saying that although the 22 yards won’t be as quick as the previous Tests, it’ll have pace and swing on offer.
“I think all the quick bowlers get excited when they come here now. It gets through well for us. We are never going to be as quick as Perth or Brisbane, but over the last few years we have managed to get some pace into it, which has created that excitement.” There is a bit of grass on it. If you are a fast bowler, and you look it at, yeah, you probably do get excited,” Page said in the same interview.
- Location :
Melbourne, Australia
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