WEST INDIES' TOUR OF INDIA, 2018

Cold shoulder to warm-ups?

by Shirshendu Roy • Last updated on

Is it outright selfish on part of the home boards to send out third-string or even lesser sides to retain their home advantage? © Getty

In the aftermath of India's Test series defeat in England, head coach Ravi Shastri revealed that the team had already requested for a couple of warm-up games ahead of the arduous tour of Australia later this year. There's little argument that the change in stance is a direct result of India's back-to-back series defeats overseas (South Africa earlier this year).

On both those tours, India hit the straps fully only by their third Test, when they recorded their only wins. While India had called off the only two-day practice game entirely in South Africa, they trimmed their originally planned four-day game against Essex into a three-day affair. There have been mixed reports as well, some claiming that the management wasn't happy with the conditions on offer, while others clarifying that the management thought it'd be wise to go through high-intensity simulated sessions instead of playing in conditions that wouldn't help prepare better.

How important are these practice games really? And how importantly are they treated in reality? These are not questions that are asked only of India but a lot of other teams have been caught napping on these grounds too. Largely, because the volume of cricket isn't the same anymore. Gone are those days when an overseas tour bordered on being a three-month affair, starting with as many as two three-day games and another similar game spaced out between the third and the fourth Test. That not only helped teams arrive and get a hang of the alien conditions better, but also allowed its benched players to gain some important match-time when the second round of practice games returned in the middle of the series.

However, there's just too much cricket happening all around the globe now. Ahead of the much-hyped South Africa tour, India played back-to-back series against Sri Lanka, both away and home. To put things in perspective, India finished playing the last game of the Sri Lanka series on December 24 and their first Test in South Africa was starting on January 5.

In May earlier this year, when the ICC's Cricket Committee headed by Anil Kumble met, one of the important things on their agenda was the need to foster a greater culture of respect for the game, which also meant ensuring a fairer on-field contest. "Clear expectations for the treatment of visiting teams particularly around practice facilities, warm-up matches and logistical arrangements," as it read, hasn't been given due attention every time teams have toured foreign lands. It is little secret that if touring parties are given mock conditions against the second-string side, it would not only help the team to gain a better perspective of the conditions on offer but also do so while trying to win against a competent eleven. But as sorry as it is, neither the pitches are in tune with what to expect, nor are the sides.

Australia are in the UAE for a two-Test and three-T20I series, preceded by a wholesome four-day warm-up game. While the length of the game allows them enough time in the middle to get used to the humidity, the fact that Pakistan didn't name a single frontline spinner in their 'A' side left the tourists shocked. While Australia would have relished to assess themselves against some quality spin - something they would expect during the series later - Pakistan's way of not revealing all their cards is understandable as well.

On the contrary, the Windies, who are in India to play two Tests, five ODIs and three T20Is, will get only a two-day practice game. Is a two-day affair enough to test themselves in conditions they haven't played in since 2013 in Tests, 2014 in ODIs and T20Is since the 2016 World T20? That probably is not even an argument, even if the Windies could afford themselves a mock camp in the ICC academy in Dubai prior to their arrival in India on Thursday (September 27). However, one thing that the Windies do get is an opportunity to have a crack at possibly India's second layer of batting cream - Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Hanuma Vihari, Karun Nair and Shreyas Iyer. Pakistan though seem to return the favour (only spin-wise) for what they got when they last toured Australia in 2016-17, a CA XI which didn't even have a single international player; Pakistan still have at least six players who have played Test cricket.

Would it be too selfless on the part of host boards to treat their visitors with more competent sides in conditions likely to prevail throughout the entire tour? Or is it outright selfish to send out third-string or even lesser sides to retain their home advantage? Wouldn't a second-string unit benefit heavily from the experience of taking on a touring international side? These are questions, if answered honestly, could begin to address an oft-discussed issue - health of Test cricket. Because most of these answers will only lead to holistic gains, a better prepared touring team, more exposure to the up and coming cricketers of the host nation, and above all, a more competitive series.

While ICC has called for more generosity through its recent meeting, one understands that all these practice matches, facilities and teams are ultimately that come directly under the framework of the host board. Responding very positively to Shastri's request of more practice games, Cricket Australia have already taken a step in that direction, although a formal dialogue between the two boards ahead of the tour is awaited.

Talking to cricket.com.au, CA's head of cricket operations, Peter Roach, has sparked great optimism in this direction. "I think all countries have probably been guilty in the past of not scheduling really good preparation. It's not so much the amount of time before international matches (that's the issue), but the quality of preparation that's provided. So there's a push from the ICC to ensure member boards treat teams more like guests, with good warm-up games, suitable conditions and standard of opposition so that when [they] do hit first Test match of a series, they're as ready as they best can be," Roach was quoted saying.

When India go touring Down Under, they will kickstart their campaign at the Sydney Cricket Ground with a three-day match. Sri Lanka, who tour later, are also being afforded a Test match centre with a true feel of the conditions to expect. Ahead of their last tour of Australia, England too had a chance of playing a warm-up game at the WACA, followed by a day-night game in Adelaide, just before the pink-ball Test.

The last time the Windies were in India for a Test series, meant to last 10 days, it barely completed the five-day mark. This Windies unit, now, might not be swatting opponents aside, but has slowly started to find more strength through their main artillery - pace bowling. This was only the fourth time in the last 25 years that its pacers had accounted for such a high percentage of wickets in a home season - 84 out of 96 wickets to fall in 2018. Facing India, the No. 1 ranked Test side, in the two-match series will be a true test of their character and possibly a good measure of where they stand, but with as little as two days before the main round, they ought to feel bereft of a real crack. If India had to think deeper, they can possibly relate to how it feels going into a series with little acclimatisation.

How quickly can these two days fly? Imagine the tourists losing the toss to see the Board Presidents XI possibly batting out a major chunk of it. Talk of novelty, how can these two days be best utilised then? Maybe give them the choice to bat or bowl first?

For all the novelty with helping the game with all sorts of innovation - be it The Hundred, pink balls, orange balls, if the boards had to really be trendsetters, they can perhaps do so by first improving the existing quality of the sport and ensuring fairer on-field contests.

"Our position is that we want to play a real part in helping international teams prepare as best they can when they're out here, in the time that they've got available. If we can be the frontrunners that set an example for everyone else to follow, it has to be better for the game. And we hope and expect that to be reciprocated when we go overseas."

Australia have taken the lead. Can the others please follow?

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