Used training pitches for India, new for Australia? Curator breaks silence as another scandal breaks out

Since the conclusion of the third Test between India and Australia in Melbourne, numerous controversies have kept fans busy. When the Indian and Australian teams hit the nets for the start of the 4th Test in Melbourne, the glaring difference between their practice surfaces sent fans into a frenzy. When photos from sessions in India and Australia surfaced on social media, fans didn’t have to work hard to note the drastic change in conditions at the two venues. While the Australian batters practiced on new surfaces, the Indians had to toil on old surfaces.

The entire Indian team including top players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahulas well as pacemakers such as Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Depth And Mohammed Sirajhit the nets to begin preparations for the MCG clash.

Reports from the Indian nets showed that the serve had fairly low bounce, with even short serves only rising to the batter’s waist. Due to the nature of the pitch, India captain Rohit Sharma was also hit on the knee once.

There is a significant difference between the training pitches that both teams received in preparation for the Boxing Day Test.#bgt pic.twitter.com/MYyMKZpEGi

— Sandipan Banerjee (@im_sandipan) December 23, 2024

“I think this wicket was meant for a white ball, so the ball stayed low at times. But such impacts are common in training. There is no major concern due to this,” India opener Akash Deep said after the game in the nets on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the fields prepared for the Australian players to train painted a completely different picture. The surfaces looked fresh, giving the home team better opportunities to prepare.

What the MCG presentation curator said about the controversy:

When asked about the reason for the difference in the two surfaces, MCG curator Matt Page said the new training grounds are only being offered 3 days later, as per regulations.

“We have prepared the schedule of the Indian team in advance. But usually we give match-oriented wickets only three days before the match. This applies to all teams,” Page explained.

While the Australian team batted for the first time on a fresh wicket on Monday, the Indian players decided to skip practice. Whenever the Indian team hits the net next, they will also be given a fresh surface like the one Pat Cummins and his people continued to practice.