IND vs AUS: R Ashwin shuts down Ian Healy over constant 'unfair' pitch claim on India

With less than a week remaining for the Border-Gavaskar trophy 2023 to start, Ian Healy has shared his thoughts on the upcoming series between India and Australia and in the process has taken a swipe at India for the pitches that were produced in the 2016-17 series, which took place in the sub-continent. The former Aussie player who captained Australia in the handful of ODIs made it clear that  "Australia will have good chances" in the Test series. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will start on February 9, 2023.

"I think if they produce fair Indian wickets, that are good batting wickets, to start with, (that) probably spin and spin pretty consistently but spin a long way, late in the match … we (Australia) win. I'm worried about (Mitchell) Starc and (Nathan) Lyon in the first Test … if they're unfair wickets which I've seen in the last series, where balls were jumping ridiculously and sliding down low from day one, I think India play those conditions better than us," he said on 'SENQ Breakfast'.

Ashwin gave an epic reply to Healy's constant jibes on Indian pitches

Addressing Healy's remarks, Ravichandran Ashwin came to the scene and gave an epic reply to the Aussie. However, the off-spinner also stated that such sparring is required before the start of the series.

"Anyway, an Australian broadcaster and former player Ian Healy has given a few gems before the BGT. He has given a few statements that say Indians will make sure Australians feel uncomfortable in India - "I don't believe they will give us wickets that will look even slightly closer to what we will actually get during a game." So he has said that Australia's approach is only correct. The support staffs might have given their opinion, but Ian Healy's quote has set a spark with this take. It's Border-Gavaskar Trophy guys. So we need this spark, right? Besides, banters will keep coming from the Australian camp for sure. We saw what Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja had to say. Eben Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw have said some controversial things. Renshaw said that you need to analyse a few things in India like who is taking the new ball and stuff," he said.

Ashwin also added, “Australia skipped their practice game when they toured Pakistan as well since they didn't want to spend 4 days playing that. So instead of this, if we get a centre wicket on any ground, they will be more happy to practice there. So when you are playing a 3 or 4-Test series, you shouldn't be in that country for more than a month. Despite getting good facilities in the hotel, it can get tiring. So Australia decided instead of going o that country and practicing there, we know the conditions already, why don't we doctor the conditions here accordingly. Just like how they are preparing in North Sydney Oval for this India tour, they practiced in Melbourne before the Pakistan tour. So this is something new for Australia,” he explained.