In Lucknow, India, Australia’s former Test captain Tim Paine is mulling how the A team’s current tour is styling the next generation of Aussie cricketers for the heat‑harsh pitches of the subcontinent.
Paine—now the head coach of the Australia A program—said the past two weeks have already given his young squad priceless lessons on handling extreme heat, unfamiliar red‑clay wickets and a very different style of play in India.
Australia A has played five matches in Uttar Pradesh: two unofficial Tests and three unofficial one‑day games. India won the series, including a jaw‑dropping 412‑run chase in the second Test, powered by KL Rahul’s unbeaten 176*. That chase marks the best ever by an Australia A side in red‑ball cricket.
### Strong batting showings
In the unofficial Tests, Josh Phillippe made 212 runs across three innings, with a century and a fifty, while teen prodigy Sam Konstas contributed 188 runs—including a hundred—in four innings. Nathan McSweeney, a current contender for the Ashes opener spot, made 160 runs with two fifties. On the spin side, Corey Rocchchiccioli took six wickets at 44.50, and Todd Murphy had five wickets at 52.80. Both bowlers were pitching themselves as the next Nathan Lyon.
During the three one‑day matches, Cooper Connolly scored 147 runs in two half‑centuries. Mackenzie Harvey added 145 runs in three innings with two fifties, while skipper Jack Edwards hit 89 in a single innings. Bowling was strong too: Tanveer Sangha claimed seven wickets average 30.5, Murphy took five wickets at 17.80, and pacer Will Sutherland found four wickets for 24.50.
### Learning in the heat
Paine said the extreme heat in Lucknow is a rare experience for Australians. “We’ve been lucky to play on red‑clay wickets that are a world apart from what we see back home. The dry, spin‑heavy, bouncing nature of these tracks really tests our batting.” He added that the heat is also a challenge for their fast bowlers, who must bowl three‑ or four‑over spells and feel the burn.
He also highlighted how the conditions have tested the fitness of young talents like Campbell Callaway, who has lost up to eight kilos during the tour. “He’s got to learn how the body reacts differently in these conditions—knowledge that will count next time we play in 2027,” Paine said.
### India’s developmental model
Paine praised India’s approach to player development, noting that the country offers multiple sand‑clay combinations across its venues. “Next week we’ll move to a place with black clay. The subtle differences between these pitches demand new skill sets,” Paine said. “Our guys never imagined you could get two or three types of clay that play so differently.”
Facing high‑quality Indian teams, Paine sees the tour as a crash‑course in varying batting philosophies. “The first match was on a flatter wicket where we used our power‑play style,” he recalled. “India then batted almost entirely differently—ones, twos, field manipulation, square‑edge shots. Watching our players shift gears quickly in the second game was reassuring.”
### A tour with a long‑term goal
Paine, who led Australia in a 2017 Test series in India, believes the tour is a crucial step in preparing candidates for future subcontinent assignments. “International cricket is hard enough; add new conditions and it becomes almost impossible to succeed on debut,” he said. “Tours like this are essential, and we’ll see the payoff in 2027.”
Source: aninews
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