Concerns over lack of matches before India series

IAN Healy doesn’t agree with Australian opener Usman Khawaja’s assessment that practice matches aren’t necessary ahead of the four-Test tour of India.

While lead-in matches are typically part of an overseas tour, Australia won’t play any in India which Khawaja believes won’t harm their chances given the pitches that are served up.

“Have you ever been pre-tour with us? They can be spinning wickets when we play but we go to the practice matches and they are green Gabba-like wickets out there so what’s the point,” Khawaja said.

“I think we have finally learned. When I heard we weren’t going to have a practice game I went up to Andrew McDonald and said, ‘Good idea’.”

While Khawaja is glad not to play any cricket in the subcontinent until the first test, Healy believes it could prove harder for players that need repetition to find form.

“That’s an in-form natural batsman talking,” Healy said on SENQ Breakfast.

“I think the spinners would like a ‘bowl-off’ into it and so the non-natural players who need some repetition and to grind before getting back into it.

“It’s not for everyone practice matches, but it is for some.”

As well as not having practice matches, the Aussies won’t play any tour games in between tests, something Healy thinks could come back to bite them as squad players need time in the middle.

“How do we get players back into form? There’ll be no games in between the four tests either,” Healy said.

“Someone who is going to be sitting on the bench for three matches might get dragged in, we’ve got to be careful.

“I am a little bit worried, not so much for an Usman [Khawaja] and that sort of personality that he’s got with great natural flair.

“But a Lance Morris, I want to keep him revving, I would be looking to find games for a few of those [players].

“We want them to play games, see if there’s a club game if there is such a thing in India.

“I don’t need him [Morris] getting stale or bored without form behind him.”

Australia’s first test against India begins in Nagpur on 9 February.

– BY LACHLAN GELEIT/ SEN