Oz media sledges Team India for complaining about damp practice pitch in Sydney

Sydney, Jan 31(ANI): The Australian media has launched a scathing attack on beleaguered Team India for complaining about the damp pitch at the ANZ stadium in Sydney, ahead of the Twenty20 series.

A Sydney Morning Herald report accused coach Duncan Fletcher of being 'in the thick' of the off-field controversy.

Fletcher's tone, however softened after realising that he was dealing with the renowned curator Les Burdett, who has 32 years of experience in preparing pitches at the Adelaide Oval, the report said.

It pointed out that the controversy was sparked off when Team India changed their practice schedule, and arrived at the Homebush Bay venue at 9 a.m., it added.

Burdett, subsequently, told Fletcher that it was impossible to dry the practice wickets, which had been covered due to wet weather in Sydney.

But the Indian team feared that the wickets would be too lively for their batsmen, who have been outplayed by Australia's pacemen in the Test series, and thus restricted their players to throwdowns in the nets.

The team, subsequently, started the practice session "after their fears were proved ill-founded' but their complaints set off alarm bells at Cricket New South Wales", the report said.

"We've got so much riding on this game the last thing we want is facilities not presented in a fit and proper state," the report quoted Cricket NSW chief David Gilbert, as saying.

The report said India's "low-key" practice session was in stark contrast to Australia's rigorous session under Mickey Arthur. (ANI)