'I don't know what the Indians are thinking at the moment': Former Australia opener on Akash and Jadeja's press meets in Hindi leading to frustration for Aussie media

Ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, former Australian opener Simon Katich has speculated problems in the Indian dressing room.

Sports Tak

• Mon • 23 Dec 2024

Simon Katich (L) of Australia celebrates reaching his century during day three of the Fourth Test match between India and Australia at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium on November 8, 2008 in Nagpur.

Highlights:

Simon Katich has speculated problems in Indian dressing room.

Katich questioned the decision to snub English questions in two press meets.

Australian media has expressed disappointment over not been able to ask questions from Ravindra Jadeja and Akash Deep.

After the Gabba Test ended in a draw, Ravichandran Ashwin shocked everyone my announcing his retirement from international cricket midway through Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Since then, there have been a few controversies ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The first one being Virat Kohli asking Australian media not to click pictures and record videos of his family at the Melbourne airport. Then, Ravindra Jadeja did not take any questions in English in a press meet for travelling Indian media. Similarly, Akash Deep's press meet was in Hindi as well. Reacting to the controversy surrounding the Australian media, former opener Simon Katich expressed accused Indian team of playing mind games

“Obviously, there’s been a few things unfolding in the last week or so, that haven’t gone down well at that camp. It’s probably just the mind games being played, given the enormity of this series,” he said while speaking to Channel 7.

“The media are here to promote the game and I don’t know what the Indians are thinking at the moment. That’s their problem,” he added.

Meanwhile, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has backed Jadeja for answering the questions in Hindi.

ALSO READ: Smashed Sri Lanka pacer for 28 runs in an over, Mumbai Indians' surprise recruit gets maiden T20I call-up as New Zealand announce squads for home series

Difference in practice pitches

Ahead of the Boxing Day Test, another controversy as erupted as India were given pitches with low bounce with wear and tear whereas Australia were provided with fresh pitches to practice which have ample bounce. The pitch curator Matt Page clarified that fresh pitches are given only three days before the Test, not before that.

ALSO READ: Champions Trophy 2025: India, Pakistan to lock horns on this date and venue, full schedule for Rohit Sharma-led side revealed!

Batting on the pitches that did not have enough bounce, KL Rahul was hit on the finger whereas captain Rohit Sharma was struck on the knee and Deep took a blow as well. After the practice session on December, Deep said that the practice pitch was meant for a white-ball game.

“The practice pitch is probably meant for white-ball cricket, the ball kept low at times. As for these minor injuries, these things happen at training, and there are no major concerns because of that. I am fine,” he told the reporters.