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Under-pressure Australia have been forced to cancel training in Nagpur after discovering several pitches were watered following the abrupt end to the first Test.
After losing inside three days at VCA Stadium, Australia plan to remain in the ‘Orange City’ before flying to the Delhi on Tuesday ahead of the second Test.
But plans to resume training on Sunday following the crushing innings and 132-run defeat have been scrapped.
Australia tried to inform ground staff on Saturday after the humiliating loss to hold off on watering the pitches as they intended to still use them.
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However, Australia on Sunday found out both the centre wickets and nets were under water and unsuitable for the optional training session after the groundstaff had either ignored or not received the request.
Australia are hopeful they can still train on Monday.
Earlier, Australia coach Andrew McDonald urged his team to be brave when next facing India’s star spinners.
Ravi Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin ran riot as Australia crumbled to be all out for 91 – their lowest Test total in India – in just one session to mark just the second loss under Pat Cummins’ captaincy.
Players shake hands after India defeated Australia in Nagpur. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
“I think it’s the pressure that builds up when you get behind 200 plus runs behind in the game,” McDonald said on Sunday.
“You feel as though my only way out of this is to take my time and defend.
“If you’re not proactive, as I said if you allow the bowler to take it to you, with catches around the bat, then something’s going to happen.
“I thought Steve Smith summed it up really well after he came off and said we’re going to have to be brave, take some risks, take the ball down the ground, push some fielders out and give ourselves the ability to rotate the strike.”
India have claimed the last three Border-Gavaskar series and will be assured of retaining the trophy if they win the second Test at Arun Jaitley Stadium, starting on Friday.
Australia travelled to the subcontinent full of confidence they could win a Test series in India for the first time since 2004, but it would take something special to salute from here.
They have never won a series after losing the first Test in a four-match contest.
But Cummins is confident Australia can bounce back and put in a more competitive showing in Delhi.
“Everyone came with pretty clear plans,” Cummins said on Saturday.
“The challenge is, under the furnace to be brave enough to be proactive at the time.
“That will be the conversation over the next couple of days.”
Australia will travel to the Indian capital full of selection dilemmas, with fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood – as well as allrounder Cameron Green – pushing to prove their fitness after missing the first Test.
Legendary Australia captain Allan Border – after whom the series is partly named – said it was “as bad as we can play”.
“There’s so many scars there now, it’s going to be a tough few days,” Border told Fox Cricket.
“You can talk the talk, but ultimately the boys with the bat in hand and ball in hand have got to do the job.”
Travis Head, the world’s No.4-ranked batter, was controversially axed for the series opener due to his poor record in Asia.
Playing his first Test since January 2019, Peter Handscomb was serviceable at No.6, but Queensland left-hander Matt Renshaw had a nightmare batting in Head’s usual position.
“We were confident it was our best XI this week,” Cummins said.
© AAP
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