Ball Switch Sparks Tensions As David Warner Asks CA For Transparency In Australia A Vs India A Warm-Up Match

The Indian players especially wicketkeeper-batter of the side, Ishan Kishan questioned the umpires why they were given a different ball before the start of play on the final day of the warm-up game.

Umpire Shawn Craig was heard saying that there were scratches on the old ball. “You scratch it, we change the ball. There will be no more discussion, let’s play,” Craig said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Sometime after the completion of the game, a CA statement said the ball had “deteriorated” and that no further action would be taken. “Both teams’ captain and manager were informed of the decision prior to the start of play,” the statement added.

Warner, who claimed he was not fully informed about the incident but had witnessed the conversations in the central part, implied that the problem had been resolved before India’s arrival for the upcoming five-match Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.

“The ultimate decision is with CA, isn’t it? I think they have obviously squashed it as fast as they could, given that India is coming out here this summer. But if the umpires deem something happened, I am sure there will be a follow-up. I think the umpires or the match referee should be standing here answering questions,” Warner said.

“I think the match referee should be coming out and addressing his own staff which are the umpires. And if they’re sticking by the umpire’s decisions, you have to stand up for that. That’s obviously a statement CA have to release. I have not seen anything,” the opener added.

According to the rules, umpires penalized five runs if they switch the ball due to suspected unfair alterations. The CA playing conditions contain an additional clause that allowed umpires to make a change in case it is uncertain how the ball became damaged, without incurring penalty runs.