Canberra, Dec.20 (ANI): Team India is bemused at the suggestion in Australian media that the Indians toyed with the idea of boycotting the ongoing three-day warm-up game against Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in Canberra because of rain.
"The story is completely baseless. There is no truth in it. Rain is a part of cricket. You don't leave a venue only because it's raining," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Indian team media manager G S Walia, as saying on Tuesday.
Earlier, the Australian media had gone to town stating that India were contemplating heading for Melbourne for better practice sessions, leading up to the first Test starting there on December 26, as it had rained heavily on the night prior to the start of the three-day game between the tourists and Cricket Australia Chairman's XI, forcing the game to begin only after lunch on Monday.
The reports said that a member of the support staff, traveling with the Indian team, had actually enquired with the groundsman at the Manuka Oval about the effect persistent rain would have on the three-day match.
The groundsman has also been quoted as saying that a "mysterious" member of Indian contingent suggested that they might move to Melbourne for practice.
"I don't know who is this member of the Indian squad they are referring to. There is none amongst us who has or could have made this suggestion," said Walia.
The "flippant" remark 'we may as well go to Melbourne'," said Manuka Oval's venue manager, Matthew Tokley, who will today file a report to the ACT government's media explaining yesterday's brouhaha.
He said that: "It was a case of Chinese whispers. That's then completely blown out of proportion, coming down to a threat from the Indian team to fly to Melbourne which is completely not the case." (ANI)
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