Former Australia captain Allan Border is unhappy with Australia not opting to play any warm-up games ahead of much-awaited World Test Championship final against India followed by the Ashes series. The WTC final is scheduled to be played between June 7 and 11 at the Oval, London. The Ashes 2023 will begin in a few days’ time from June 16. Instead of playing warm-up games, the Australian contingent is preparing for WTC final and the Ashes with a high-intensity training camp in Beckenham which includes centre-wicket practice and net sessions.
"I don't care how hard you work in the nets, nothing replaces game time," Border told 'Fox Cricket'.
"It just doesn't feel right not to play any cricket leading into an Ashes series. I just think that's fraught with danger... there's something gnawing at me saying it's the wrong decision," he added.
Like Australia, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian side won't play any warm-up game either as the English County Championship season is underway. Also, the English Cricket Board (ECB) is not obligated to arrange for a practice match as WTC final is an International Cricket Council (ICC) event.
On the other hand, it will the first time in men’s Ashes history that an Australian side has not played a single warm-up game beforehand.
T20 cricket affecting Ashes?
"I'm really surprised we're just allowing the Ashes tour to be so condensed with no cricket between the games, but that's the way it is.
"I get it, we've got IPLs and T20s, I understand. The game's moved on. But I think there's an opportunity there for us to go to England early and play a couple of games... just to polish things off a bit," Border added.
The Ashes 2023 is being played from June 16 to July 31 because of the Hundred tournament which will begin in August. Currently, only Cheteshwar Pujara is in England leading the Sussex side whereas Australia’s three top-order batters including Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Marcus Harris are playing for their respective County sides.
India’s WTC final squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk)
Australia's WTC final squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
'Unfortunately we fell short of the goal': Disappointed Virat Kohli shares an emotional post, extends gratitude to loyal RCB supporters
'He is the trump card': Virender Sehwag picks one player who can turn match-winner in GT vs CSK Qualifier 1 at Chepauk
