Steve Smith lifts the lid on game-changing Aussie cricket move after Michael Clarke criticism
The Aussies copped criticism from the former captain back in 2023 after a horror series.
Steve Smith and the Aussies have shut down previous criticism regarding their preparation ahead of Test matches on the subcontinent, revealing their practice in the United Arab Emirates was the perfect move. Back in 2023, former Aussie Test captain Michael Clarke took aim at the Aussie team for not playing a warm-up match in foreign conditions ahead of the 2-1 series defeat to India.
Clarke's criticism carried weight with the Aussies looking helpless against spin as they went down 2-0 to start the series, before saving some pride. And Clarke would have been stunned at Andrew McDonald and Smith's decision not to play a tour game in Sri Lanka ahead of the first Test in Galle last week.
Instead the Aussies went to Dubai to the ICC facilities on a five-day camp to take advantage of the curated pitches on offer. And it appeared to work as Travis Head and Usman Khawaja immediately set the tone for a brilliant Aussie victory.
Khawaja blasted a double century, with Smith and debutant Josh Inglis also getting in on the action to hand Australia their fourth-largest win in red-ball cricket. And Smith admitted the preparation ahead of Galle was ideal and their decision to avoid a warm-up match was vindicated.
"The guys trained exceptionally well in Dubai in the lead-up, we were able to develop some wickets that we wanted to work on some things," he said after the victory to take a 1-0 lead over Sri Lanka. "Then when we came here, similarly, guys did the same and really focused in two days out from the game and got their game plans completely in order and brought it all together."
And coach McDonald was also full of praise for their decision to take advantage of the curators in the United Arab Emirates. "The ground staff there did an amazing job in what we would potentially get here across a game," said the coach. "We had some time and space to get our heads around the challenges, different scenarios and the ICC facilities allowed us to do that."
He also suggested it was a busy time after the India series this summer, with Australia only having a couple of weeks off before the tour. "It was a hectic time," McDonald said. "It was to do the grunt work, get the conversations landed around how we wanted to play, making sure we had great clarity when we landed here, and I think that showed in the performance."
Steve Smith explains reason for avoiding tour games
Only last week, Steve O'Keefe admitted the conditions in the ICC training facilities are excellent and replicate conditions around the world. And this backs-up Smith's comments back in 2023. The current stand-in captain made similar remarks and claimed Sri Lanka provided green pitches for the visitors, which didn't allow them proper preparation.
“The last time we went I‘m pretty sure we got served up a green-top (to practice on) and it was sort of irrelevant," he explained. “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.”
Michael Clarke had called out Aussie cricket team
While Smith, McDonald and O'Keefe have all backed the current preparation, Clarke was not impressed with their preparation back in 2023. "Batting in Indian conditions in Test cricket it is a completely different game," he said at the time.
"You need a completely different plan to what you have playing in Australia, the way you start your innings against spin bowling, the way you play reverse swing, through the Australian summer we didn’t see any reverse swing, the games were over in two, three days."
Australia will look to win the series 2-0 when they take on Sri Lanka again in Galle this week. Selection calls could be the talking points with the likes of Cooper Connolly and Sam Konstas on tour and waiting for a chance to play on their first tour.