Former Australian cricketer and coach Darren Lehmann has expressed his disappointment with Cricket Australia’s decision not to play any tour games ahead of the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final and the Ashes series against England. Lehmann, who coached the Australian team between 2013 and 2018, said that the lack of preparation could hurt Australia’s chances in both series.Speaking to a leading Australian news channel, Lehmann said that tour games were essential for players to acclimatize to local conditions and get into the rhythm of playing Test cricket again.
Tour games are crucial, especially when you’re playing in conditions that are vastly different from what you’re used to, Lehmann said. It gives players a chance to get a feel for the pitch, the ball, the weather conditions, and all those little things that can make a big difference in Test cricket.
Lehmann also pointed out that England had already announced plans to play tour games ahead of the Ashes series, and that this could give them a significant advantage over Australia.
England have got the right idea by playing tour games. It gives them a chance to settle in and get used to the conditions, which could be the difference between winning and losing the Ashes, he said.
Australia’s decision not to play any tour games ahead of the WTC final and the Ashes has been criticized by several former players, including Lehmann. However, Cricket Australia has defended its decision, saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult to schedule tour games and that the players have had enough preparation through domestic cricket.
The WTC final between India and New Zealand is set to take place from June 18 to 22 in Southampton, while the Ashes series is scheduled to begin in December.
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