Aussies begin training today

Chennai, Feb 8:
The stage has been set for the four Test series between the touring Australia and India with the first match beginning at the M A Chidambaram stadium here on February 22, with the first batch of the 17 member squad including pacemen Peter Siddle beginning their acclimatisation training from tomorrow.
The foremr player Steve Rixon, now among the squad’s support staff is scheduled to address a press conference at the stadium at noon tomorrow.
Another batch of the squad will arrive tomorrow night, host TNCA sources said.
The Ausies will then be playing two warm up games, the firsst against India Presidents XI on February 12 and 13 and a three-day game against India A. Both the teams are to be named along with the Test squad on Febraury 10, BCCI sources here said.
The sale of tickets for the Test are to begin next week, TNCA sources also said.
The Aussies are on a mission to India in this eries. They had lost five of the last seven Tests in India while they had last won a Test series on Indian soil in 2004. The Aussies had last played a Test series in India in 2010, but Chennai did not host a Test in that series.
The historic Chepauk ground as the Chidambaram stadium was previously called, has witnessed many a thrilling Test matches between the two cricket loving nations, in the past, including the second Tied Test in the annals of cricket in the 80s, as it were.
The first batch of the present Aussie Test squad that arrived here late on Thursday night from Melbourne included Peter Siddle, Jackson Bird, Ed Cowan, M Henrique, Usman Khawaja,, Nathan Lyon, James Pattison and Steven Smith. (UNI)

Follow our WhatsApp channel