'Oz are known for their mind games': R Ashwin responds to Steve Smith's tour match remark
R Ashwin-Steve Smith
Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has responded to Steve Smith's remarks about not playing any tour games ahead of the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The off-spinner said it was not a big thing and thatSmithwas playing mind games.
“Australia are not playing any tour matches this time. This is not new. Even India avoids tour games when they go on a few overseas tours,"said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
"Since Team India’s schedule is packed with international games, it is not possible to turn up for practice games with the same intensity."
Australia are not playing any tour game in their preparation for the series. Instead, the visitors have preferred to hold a four-day training camp at KSCA Stadium in Alur.
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Smith had said, “We got a green wicket in Brabourne and a completely opposite one in the first Test (during the 2017 series). In all fairness, it was a rank turner in Pune.”
“We might have given them a green track, but nobody plans all these things. However, Australia are known for their mind games and sledges before a series. They love doing that. It’s their style of cricket,” added Ashiwn.
When asked if Australia needed to play a tour match ahead of the gruelling one-month Test series, Smith had replied in negative.
"We'll wait and see when we hit the ground. I think we've made the right decision to not play a tour match. Like I said, last time they dished up a green top for us (in a tour game) and we barely faced any spin, so it's kind of irrelevant," Smith told news.com.au.
Australia will be coming into the series, having lost the previous three iterations of the BGT, with 2018 and 2020 defeats coming in its own backyard.
It will take some special effort from the Australians if they are to beat India in India. In the last decade, India have only lost two Test matches.
Ironically, Australia beat India in one of those Test matches and it came on a vicious turning Pune pitch.
(With inputs from agencies)
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