After the ball-switch controversy in the first unofficial Test in Mackay, India ‘A’ players once again seemed to be unhappy with the red cherry on Day 2 of the second match of the series in Melbourne.
The initial controversy during the tour-opening game happened when the overnight ball was changed on the morning of the final day of the match, allegedly after a few scratch marks were found on it. The Indian team expressed its displeasure over it, which delayed the start of play as the umpires tried to explain the situation to the visitors.
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However, there were no concerns of ball-tampering raised by the match officials or Cricket Australia (CA), while some of the former Australia players, including David Warner, called for more clarity from CA on the incident.
On Saturday, a video clip from the second day of the game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground showed the Indian players bringing the ball to the attention of the umpire, who rubbed it on the grass before giving it back to the bowler.
Listening to on-air commentary, it seemed the players took a “cautious approach” and wanted the umpire himself to take off the odd substance, “potential mud”, from the ball.
“Talking about a bit of potential mud on that ball,” said the commentator on air. “Making sure it’s okay to get it out of the scene…I think there is some…whether it is white paint or they have sprayed….with some sort of green dye on it, so not sure if it’s an aesthetic thing.”
However, bowler Prasidh Krishna still didn’t seem happy and consulted the umpire again before going back to the top of his run-up.
“A cautious approach here from the Indians, making sure the umpire is involved in any issues with the ball,” said the other commentator.
The day also saw failure of India’s two candidates for the one opening slot available in the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
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KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran, who had scored 4 and 0 in the first innings, were dismissed cheaply once again. Rahul scored 10 and was bowled in a bizarre fashion as the ball went through his legs to dislodge the bails while playing off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli.
Easwaran scored 17.
Captain Rohit Sharma’s likely absence in the first Test because of personal reasons will require India to find an opener to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal.
The BGT begins in Perth on November 22.
