The Indian cricket team has decided to cancel their three-day intra-squad match with the A side in preparation for the upcoming tour to Australia for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024.
Currently, the India A squad, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, is engaged in an unofficial Test match with the Australia A squad. Meanwhile, the senior cricket team, captained by Rohit Sharma, is competing against New Zealand in the third and final Test of the three-Test series at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The team is set to depart for Australia on November 12, with the first Test of the BGT Trophy scheduled to commence on November 22.
The decision to forgo the intra-squad match was made by the Indian cricket team management, who have opted to prioritize additional net practice in preparation for the marquee five-match series starting on November 22 in Perth. This decision follows the team's recent defeat in the Test series against New Zealand, where they lost 2-0 with one game remaining. New Zealand's victory marked their first-ever Test series win in India in 69 years, ending India's 12-year-old Test series winning streak at home.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and some senior players have expressed a preference for more time in the nets rather than a dress rehearsal. Given that the bounce of the WACA centre pitch mirrors that of the Perth Stadium track, top-order batters are keen on maximizing their time in the middle to acclimate to the conditions.
In light of these considerations, an intra-squad match may not be the most effective use of time, as it may limit opportunities for batters to gain valuable time on the centre strip. This marks a departure from India's previous tours of Australia, where practice games were utilized as part of the preparation for the main series.
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