Ashwin warns about Australia playing mind games ahead of India series

India vs Australia (Source: Twitter)

With all the hype building up for the enthralling Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the war of words has already begun between the two fiercest rivals on the cricketing field. 

India's Ravichandran Ashwin has spoken about the games the visiting side is playing even before the series has started. The right-arm off-spinner has revealed that the Pat Cummins-led has the tendency the mind games as they have done previously during various tours.

It was previously revealed that Australia have scrapped the tour game as they want to practice turning deliveries rather than batting on flat decks.

The Indian all-rounder mentioned that they have also avoided prep games before the series due to an extremely packed calendar. 

“Australia are not playing any tour matches this time. This is not new. Even India avoids tour games when they go on a few overseas tours. Since Team India’s schedule is packed with international games, it is not possible to turn up for practice games with the same intensity,"

Recalling the 2017 India-Australia series, Ashwin mentioned that then-Aussie skipper Steve Smith said that they were provided with green practice wickets but during the first game, they were up against an absolute rank turner in Pune.

Source: OneCricket

Smith called this out as they got an opposite wicket, which is why they decided not to have a practice game this time around.

“Smith said, ‘We got a green wicket in Brabourne and a completely opposite one in the first Test (during the 2017 series). In all fairness, it was a rank-turner in Pune. We might have given them a green track, but nobody plans all these things. However, Australia are known for their mind games and sledges before a series. They love doing that. It’s their style of cricket.”

The first Test between India and Australia will take place at Nagpur from 9th February.

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