Australia legend dismisses CA's defense, accuses India A of ball-tampering ahead of BGT

In a shocking twist to the Australia A vs India A clash, legendary Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy has sparked an intense ball-tampering controversy by hinting that Indian players may have been involved in questionable tactics with the ball in the first four-day match, Mackay.

The incident took place on the final day of the first unofficial Test match between Australia A and India A in Mackay, where a heated debate unfolded on the field as the touring players, especially Ishan Kishan, confronted umpire Shawn Craig over the unexpected ball change.

India A’s suspicious tactics exposed by Ian Healy

The controversy began when the umpire handed a fresh ball to India A, a decision that shocked the touring camp. As they took the field to defend a challenging 224-run target, Australia A was already in a great position, having seven wickets in the kitty and just 86 runs short.

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However, the umpire, Shawn Craig, said that he and other officials suspected intentional scratch marks on the ball, which left the Indian players furious. Tempers flared when India A wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan called the move "stupid" before Craig issued a stern warning of potential disciplinary action for dissent and “inappropriate behavior.”

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) soon issued a statement clearing India A of tampering allegations and confirmed no formal sanctions would follow on Ishan Kishan. But Healy has stirred the controversy by not only backing the umpires’ decision, but he has also hinted that the Indian players may not have been playing by the rules, fueling an already explosive situation.

Ian Healy accuses India A of reverse swing tactics amid ball-change controversy

The Australian legend raised suspicions about India A’s intentions, suggesting that the team’s complaints over the ball change might indicate they had planned to exploit reverse swing to put Australia A on the back foot.

Furthermore, Healy speculated that India A was counting on reverse swing to turn the game in their favor as Australia A chased down a relatively small target in the first unofficial Test match.

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However, the Australian batters stayed focused, seemingly unfazed by any swing tactics, and continued to perform steadily, ultimately denying India A the edge they may have hoped for and eventually winning the first four-day match in Mackay.

India A players were up to something: Ian Healy

Ian Healy said on SENQ: “When you see a team complain about a ball being changed, they were up to something. India A were gearing up for a big reverse swing session in order to get the Australians under pressure. Australia were chasing a small total, and it just didn’t happen (for India A). The Australia A batters were oblivious to it. They just put their heads down and performed really well.”

On the other hand, Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney said in a post-match press conference, “To be honest, I can’t really (explain it) at all. I was at the striker’s end, and the umpires simply said that they had changed the ball. I wasn’t sure what for because I didn’t see any change in the ball.”

Notably, the second tour match between India A and Australia A will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne on Thursday, November 7.