'They served us green-top wicket': Steve Smith on Australia not playing tour game in India

With no more than 10 days left for the highly-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a debate against the pitch has once again caught fire. Very often when teams travel for away tours they play one or two practice tour games to get used to the conditions, but the current Australian squad which is travelling to India has opted not to play tour games ahead of the series. 

Australia cricketer Steve Smith who is also the recipient of the Alan Border Medal told that the last time Australia toured India, the BCCI provided them with green top pitches for practice which is completely different from the contrast of pitches we get in India. 

Smith said: This time we don't have a tour game in India'

Smith told Daily Telegraph, "We normally have two tour games over in England. This time we don't have a tour game in India. The last time we went I'm pretty sure we got served up a green top (to practise on) 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."

"We'll wait and see when we hit the ground. I think we've made the right decision to not play a tour match. Like I said, last time they dished up a green top for us and we barely faced any spin, so it's kind of irrelevant. We're better off having our own nets and getting spinners in and bowling as much as they can", Smith added. 

This will be Steve Smith's third tour of India before he toured India in 2013 and 2017. Australia till now has not beaten Team India on their home soil since 2004 and the last time they toured India they lost by 2-1. 

"It's certainly huge. I don't know if it's (winning in India) the final frontier. I've never won there, I've been there twice (for Tests), it's always difficult playing there. India and England – our two opponents over the next six months – are probably our biggest as an Australian Test cricketer. We've got some challenges in front of us, but the guys are ready for it", Smith concluded.