How the Big Bash Compromised Australia’s Tour of India
“It conditioned me physically, it conditioned me mentally, it conditioned me how I would shoot at those gates,” O’Keefe said. “It got me talking to the thugs and bringing the group together.
“I really rated it and even though it was a green top I still bowled about 20 overs and won three wickets. It was great.
Steve O’Keefe celebrates one of his 12 wickets during the 2017 Pune Test.Credit:AP
“Our batsmen may not have taken as much of that as they would have liked, but you’re still hitting in the heat, there’s still something to be gained.
“I think just going there for a couple of Nets sessions and having a scarred wicket in North Sydney doesn’t compare.
“But you also have to have that confidence in that group and what they think is the right kind of preparation.”
Shaun Marsh, who scored a century in that tour match, and brother Mitch, who scored 75, both praised the Dubai training camp during the 2017 tour.
Todd Murphy was a rare shining light during the first Test, claiming seven wickets on the debut.Credit:Getty
“It definitely helped,” said Shaun after scoring a brave draw against Peter Handscomb in the third Test of 2017. “We obviously had a great couple of weeks there to prepare for these conditions.
“It certainly helped us today to know what we have done in the past. Our preparation has given the lads a lot of confidence to go out and play the game.”
Mitch Marsh agreed at the time.
“It gave all the batters an opportunity to bat for a long time on wickets that weren’t Australian,” he said during the 2017 tour.
Steve Smith has been in exceptional form for the Sixers, including centuries straight ahead of the India tour.Credit:Getty
“They didn’t have a lot of bounce, they had quite a spin and we were able to practice our game plan in conditions similar to those here… It was great and I really enjoyed it. If it happens in the future it will be great.”
Australia didn’t win the 2017 series but they were competitive and went down 1-2 after being able to win the second Test in Bangalore as well. During the four tests, they achieved a score of 450, one of 300, and three of 260 or more.
Cricket Australia intercepted an accusation from broadcast partner Channel Seven over the quality of the Big Bash, with Seven taking CA to court and only dropping the case after winning a bargain-priced renewal of broadcasting rights.
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CA put down $6 million for an overseas player draft, paying David Warner and Steve Smith about $400,000 and $250,000 respectively to play in the BBL, with most of the other Test stars joining their BBL teams returned.
The team hierarchy felt that Australia had faded at the end of the last tour of India and would be better off re-entering this time.
It’s almost impossible to know what works for touring teams in India, having lost just two out of 43 tests at home in the past decade and Australia having won just one series there since 1969, but from the evidence so far, this one has Preparation certainly does not work .
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/how-the-big-bash-compromised-australia-s-tour-of-india-20230212-p5cjvj.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_sport How the Big Bash Compromised Australia’s Tour of India
