Darren Lehmann claims Cricket Australia is about to make the same huge mistake that led to a TERRIBLE start to the India tour as the former coach issues a stark warning ahead of the Ashes
- Darren Lehmann believes Australia could make a mistake this summer
- The Aussies will not play a warm-up game for the WTC final
- Lehmann said Cricket Australia could regret that decision
Darren Lehmann has warned Australia could have a slow start to the Ashes this summer, with the former Test coach questioning why the tourists are not playing a warm-up game.
Pat Cummins’ side’s only form of preparation for the five-match series is the World Test Championship final against India early next month, although some players have taken part in County Championship cricket.
Cricket Australia’s decision not to play tour matches before the series has finished has come under scrutiny, with former coach Lehmann fearing his country would regret that decision.
“First and foremost you need games to acclimate,” Lehmann told SEN. ‘To get used to the ball and wickets and pressure. No tour game is not a good idea.
“I hope it works, but if it doesn’t, it asks who made that decision. I think we’ll win The Ashes 3-1 anyway, but if we don’t, wow.’
Darren Lehmann has criticized Australia’s decision not to play a warm-up match in England
Pat Cummins’ team will play the WTC Finals before the five-game series begins this summer
The Aussies were criticized for not opting to play tour matches ahead of their four-game series against India earlier this year.
That decision resulted in the team taking a hit in their first two games and although they rallied to end the series 2-1, they left the subcontinent without the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
Warm-up games are crucial in acclimatizing visiting teams to host team conditions, with the Dukes ball in particular causing problems for Aussie batsmen over the years.
However, National Selector George Bailey says a lack of warm-up games will become the norm.
It feels like this is becoming the norm for test tours, around tour games,” he said recently.
“It feels like there are more tours that you don’t have a tour match than when you do, so our team is pretty well prepared in terms of knowing what you need outside of those tours and the opportunities that have come up on previous tours.”