Used Wickets for India to Practice? Pitch Curator comes up with explanation over dead pitch controversy

IND vs AUS: After the third test between India and Australia ended in a draw at the Gabba in Brisbane, there have been a number of controversies that have interested the fans and spiced up the things. The fourth test between the two sides is slated to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which will be the Boxing Day Test, beginning on December 26.

India have concluded their practice session, and now, the hosts will be preparing for the game at the MCG. But one thing that has caught the attention of the media and fans is the difference of the pitch provided to both teams for practice.

It is a totally contrasting surface as India practiced on the pitch, which was used and flat and had variable bounce. That's where players like Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul even got hit while having batting sessions. On the other hand, the surface given to the Australia team was green and had good bounce on it, which is likely to have the same traits as the pitch we will see for the fourth test.

IND vs AUS: Pitch Curator comes up with an explanation over the dead pitch offered to Team India at MCG

The controversy sparked as the pictures of both surfaces went viral on social media. By the look of both pitches, it was very much visible to see the difference between the surfaces provided for both sides. As per some media reports, India had a dead surface to practice on that didn't have pace and bounce, which was ideal for a white-ball game.

Indian pacer Akash Deep also hinted that in an interview and said, "I think this wicket was for the white ball, which is why the ball kept low at times. But these blows are common in training. There are no major concerns because of that." However, when the news broke on the internet, the pitch curator Matt Page was also asked about the difference.

He said that they are only allowed to practice on the new surface only before three days of the test start as per rules. Matt said, "We got the schedule of the Indian team well ahead. But we usually give match-centric wickets only three days before the match. It's applicable for all teams."

Australia began their training session on Monday on the new surface. However, India decided to skip the training session on Monday, but when they get back for training, they are also likely to get the new surface to practice.

Also Read: Australia's another below-the-belt tactic? Indians given dead and flat pitch with no bounce to practice ahead of MCG test