India have reportedly cancelled an intra-squad match in favour of training on the centre wicket ahead of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth.
The opening match of the series is set to take place from November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. India had initially been slated to play an intra-squad match between the main team and the India 'A' team from November 15-17 at the WACA ground in the same city.
However, a report from ESPNCricinfo on Friday (November 1) states that India's team management have decided to abandon the match, in favour of training on the centre wicket at the WACA, with net session and match simulations part of the plan.
On their last two tours of Australia, India began with warm-up matches against local sides – a three-day game against Australia A in 2020-21 and a four-day game against a Cricket Australia XI in 2018-19.
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India also played against their 'A' side in a warm-up fixture on their last overseas tour in December 2023, in South Africa. It is unknown how competitive an India vs India A match would have been, but nevertheless it will be the first time in three tours Down Under that the tourists will not play a warm-up match before the series.
India are currently in action in the third and final Test of their home series against New Zealand in Mumbai, in which they are 0-2 down. This match is scheduled to end on November 5, with the team expected to arrive in Australia at least two weeks before the first Test.
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The India A team is already in Australia, and in action against Australia A in the first of two four-day matches. Two players in that squad are also part of India's squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy – opener Abhimanyu Easwaran and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
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