The “no tour game” rule for international trips, according to Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald, will benefit his team during the four-match Test series in India in February-March.
Prior to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia is unlikely to participate in any tour games, thus they would be in India just one week before the first Test, which starts on February 9 in Nagpur. Instead of coming very ahead of schedule to play a warm-up match and adapt to the surroundings, the emphasis would be on maintaining mental and physical health, according to McDonald.
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No Tour Game Is Something We Have Done In The Last Few Series: Andrew McDonald
In India, Australia is attempting to win its first Test series in 19 years.
“No tour game is something we’ve done in the last few series, before embarking on overseas tours,” he was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
“We feel as though we don’t need that match practice as such. We’re going to go to India about a week out from the first game. We didn’t want to press for too much longer, in terms of the preparation.”
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They won a three-match series in Pakistan with a 1-0 score in March of last year using a similar strategy. A week ahead of the first Test in Rawalpindi, Australia’s batsmen landed in Melbourne for a camp where they trained on scarified wickets.
“We feel as though seven days is ample time to get ready and to make sure we maintain freshness throughout the whole four Test match series,” McDonald said.
“We had some success doing that, going to Pakistan. We had a shortened period on the ground there.”
This time, before beginning the arduous journey, they have scheduled a three-day camp in Sydney for all players who were not selected for the Big Bash League finals.
“We can be creative in our own conditions. We’ve done it before with the Pakistan build-up in Melbourne. Dusting up wickets. Fit for purpose.
“Working with the local groundsmen who really help us in and around the country. We feel as though we can get as close to that as possible without necessarily having a practice game.”
Under Adam Gilchrist, Australia last clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India in 2004–2005. They had a chance to win in 2017 as they started the tour with a victory in the first Test at Pune, but they lost 1-2 to the Virat Kohli-led team. Prior to the Pune match, Australia spent nine days in India after a gruelling 10-day camp on specially designed fields at the ICC academy in Dubai.
Andrew McDonald is Confident On Cameron Green’s Availability
With worries over the fitness of all-rounder Cameron Green and speed ace Mitchell Starc, Australia’s head coach further suggested that a sizable team will be travelling to India.
“Yeah, I am confident he (Green) will be fit with the time frames I’ve been given… The challenge will be making sure we can be creative in the way he trains to make sure his body is in order.
“But we feel as though with the medical team that have done an outstanding job in the last game, we feel as though we’re confident he’ll be ready for that first Test match.
The tour may also feature players including Todd Murphy, Mitchell Swepson, and Peter Handscomb.
“Matt Renshaw coming in again in Test cricket has had some success there before,” McDonald said.
“Pete Handscomb, no doubt, would probably consider himself unlucky not to be in that conversation for Sydney, but there’s another one that coming back into the Test fold in conversation.
“We’ve got Marcus Harris also. So feel we’ve got Test experience within that depth. Some will say the age profile is a little bit older in those and potentially not as many youngsters in that, but we feel as though that experience is beneficial.
“Todd’s putting his hand up with the performances he’s put on the board. Mitch Swepson performed well in the subcontinent previously.
“Sometimes the second spinner isn’t necessarily the best next spinner if that makes sense. It’s the one that complements what you have,” he added.
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