Used Practice Pitches For India, New For Australia? Curator Breaks Silence As Another Row Erupts

Since the conclusion of the third Test between India and Australia in Melbourne, multiple controversies have kept fans busy. As the Indian and Australian teams hit the nets ahead of the start of the 4th Test in Melbourne, the glaring difference between their practice surfaces have left fans infuriated. As the pictures from India and Australia’s nets sessions hit social media, fans didn’t have to work hard to point out the drastic change in the conditions of the two surfaces. While Australian batters practiced on new surfaces, Indians were made to toil on used ones.

Over the weekend, the entire Indian team, including top batters like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, as well as pacers like Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj, hit the nets to start preparations for the MCG clash.

Reports from India’s nets session suggested that the pitch offered quite a low bounce, with even the short-pitched deliveries only rising as high as the batter’s waist. Because of the nature of the pitch, India captain Rohit Sharma was also hit on the knee once.

Significant difference between the practice pitches both teams have got in preparation for the Boxing Day Test.#bgt pic.twitter.com/MYyMKZpEGi

— Sandipan Banerjee (@im_sandipan) December 23, 2024

“I think this 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,” India pacer Akash Deep said on Sunday, after the nets session.

Meanwhile, the pitches prepared for Australian players’ practice painted a completely different picture. The surfaces looked fresh, offering better preparation opportunities to the hosts.

What MCG Pitch Curator Said On Controversy:

When MCG curator Matt Page was asked about the reason behind the difference in the two surfaces, he said that new practice surfaces are only offered 3 days below, as per the rules.

“We got the schedule of the Indian team well ahead. But we usually give match-centric wickets only three days before the match. It’s applicable for all teams,” Page clarified.

While the Australian team hit the nets for the first time on Monday, on fresh wickets, Indian players decided to give the training session a miss. Whenever the Indian team hits the nets next, they would also be given fresh surfaces, similar to what Pat Cummins and his men practiced on.