Steve Smith has backed Australia's call to skip a warm-up game ahead of their Test series in India, suggesting any match would offer insufficient preparation.
The tourists will play four matches starting in Nagpur next month, with games in Delhi, Dharamshala and Ahmedabad to follow.
But Pat Cummins' side will not play a tour game ahead of their red-ball series against their hosts, after their experiences on their last long-format visit six years ago.
On that occasion, Australia played out a draw with an India A side, but Smith feels the pitch they played on in Mumbai was too different to the rest of the tour.
"We normally have two tour games over in England. This time we don't have a tour game in India," he said in Sydney.
"The last time we went [to India], I'm pretty sure we got served up a green top [in the tour game], and it was sort of irrelevant.
"Hopefully, we get really good training facilities where the ball is likely to do what it's likely to do out in the middle, and we can get our practice in."
Australia are in pursuit of a first Test series win in India since 2004, having lost 2-1 in 2017 despite Smith posting 499 runs as top scorer.
Fresh from claiming a joint-record fourth Allan Border Medal, the former captain.hopes they can vindicate their decision to eschew a competitive warm-up.
"We'll wait and see when we hit the ground," he added. "I think we've made the right decision to not play a tour match.
"We're better off having our own nets and getting spinners in and bowling as much as they can."
Knight stars as Barbados complete CWI Super 50, T20 Blaze double
Kycia Knight starred with an unbeaten half-century as Barbados defeated the Leeward Islands by eight wickets to claim the CWI Women’s T20 Blaze title, adding to their Super 50 crown won last week.
The Leewards batted first at Warner Park on Saturday, making 121-5 off their 20 overs thanks to a 50-ball 33* from Divya Saxena.
Theanny Herbert-Mayers was the best bowler on the day for the Bajans with figures of 2-12 from her four overs.
The Barbados chase was then anchored be an 80-run opening stand between Knight and Aaliyah Alleyne who made 32.
In the end, Barbados claimed victory in 17.3 overs, reaching 122-2. Knight faced 51 balls for her 66*, hitting nine boundaries.
At St. Paul’s Sports Complex, Guyana won an extraordinary match against Trinidad & Tobago by one run to secure second place.
Guyana took first strike and were bowled out for a horrendous 39 in 19.3 overs with only skipper Shemaine Campbelle reaching double figures with 13 against an excellent four-over spell from Anisa Mohammed which saw her claim four wickets while conceding just five runs.
Steffie Soogrim and Shalini Samaroo also bowled eight overs between them, taking 2-7 and 2-10, respectively.
Then, amazingly, Guyana was able to defend the paltry total, bowling out T&T for 38 in 18.4 overs.
Mandy Mangru led the way with the ball with 4-11 from 3.4 overs while Ashmini Munisar took 2-8 from three overs.
At Conaree Sports Club, the Windward Islands beat Jamaica by six wickets.
Jamaica made 102-6 off their 20 overs batting first. Keneshia Ferron led the way with 32 off 41 balls while captain Stafanie Taylor made 22.
Afy Fletcher took 2-11 off her four overs for the Windwards.
The Windwards then needed only 17 overs to overhaul Jamaica’s total, reaching 103-4.
Zaida James led the way with 28 while Fletcher got 23.
The final points table saw Barbados and Guyana level on 16 points, followed by the Windwards (12), Jamaica (8), Trinidad & Tobago (8) and the Leewards (0).
Australia captain Meg Lanning ruled out of women’s Ashes
Australian women’s captain Meg Lanning has been ruled out of the summer’s Ashes tour due to medical reasons.
A statement from Cricket Australia said Lanning, 31, who returned to cricket in January after a six-month mental health break, has been “withdrawn from the squad due to a medical issue which requires management from home”.
Cricket Australia’s women’s cricket performance boss Shawn Flegler said: “It’s an unfortunate setback for Meg and she’s obviously disappointed to have been ruled out of the Ashes; it’s a significant series for the team and she’ll be missed, but she understands the need to put her health first.
“Meg will remain at home where she will continue to work with medical staff with the aim to return to playing as soon as possible.
“We ask that Meg’s privacy is respected at this time.”
Wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy will captain the team throughout the Ashes clashes against England with all-rounder Tahlia McGrath as vice-captain.
Lanning, who captained Australia to win the Twenty20 World Cup in March, will not be replaced in the squad with Australia A players touring England at the same and available if needed.
The multi-format Ashes series starts with a one-off Test in Nottingham from June 22 with three T20s and three ODIS.
Sammy addresses critics of lack of coaching credentials- “It’s a role that chose me”
New West Indies white-ball head coach Daren Sammy has hit back at critics of his hiring as coach.
Sammy, a former West Indies captain who led the regional side to World T20 triumphs in 2012 and 2016, was hired earlier this month as coach of the West Indies ODI and T20I sides despite not having a level 3 coaching certificate.
The former all-rounder previously coached Pakistan Super League (PSL) outfit Peshawar Zalmi in 2020 and 2021 before returning for the 2023 season. He also coached the St. Lucia Kings in the 2022 Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Despite this, critics have said his hiring as Windies head coach sets a bad precedent but the 39-year-old says he is “blocking out the noise” and focusing on the task at hand, returning the West Indies back to the top of the white-ball game.
“I’ve made it known; coaching was not something I aspired to do during my playing days but it’s a role that actually chose me. I’m a work in progress. I am aware of all those things,” Sammy said during a press conference on Friday.
“I understand the challenges ahead of me but I also believe in the impact and the effect that I could have on this generation right now and I will not let my lack of a certificate stop me from taking on the challenges that I know that I’m equipped to handle,” Sammy added before clarifying that he has, in fact, began the process of attaining the certificate.
“I have already started the process to be certified and, during that process, working with the West Indies team, working with further developing myself as a coach in terms of the qualifications needed,” he said.
“Don’t think for one minute that I will ever question myself that I’m not fit to do this job,” Sammy added.
His first two assignments will come next month when the West Indies battle the UAE in three ODIs from June 4-9 before they head to Zimbabwe to take part in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers from June 18-July 9.
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