Would have liked spinners to have a 'bowl-off' in a tour game : Ian Healy

Australia decided not to play a practice game in the upcoming tour of India with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy kick-starting on February 9 in Nagpur. Usman Khawaja recently commented that the wickets provided for the practise games wouldn’t match the behaviour of the real wicket, hence the viability of warm-up games doesn’t stand.

However, former Australian wicket-keeper Ian Healy holds a different point of view.

"That's an in-form natural batsman (Khawaja) talking," Healy told SEN Radio on Thursday.

"I think the spinners would like a 'bowl-off' into it and so the non-natural players who need some repetition and to grind before getting back into it. It's not for everyone practice matches, but it is for some," added Healy.

"How do we get players back into form? There'll be no games in between the four Tests either. Someone who is going to be sitting on the bench for three matches might get dragged in, we've got to be careful."

Healy believes that a lot of player needs the feel of Indian conditions and especialy those who would be sitting on the bench would feel the heat later. 

"I am a little bit worried, not so much for an Usman (Khawaja) and that sort of personality that he's got with great natural flair. But a Lance Morris, I want to keep him revving, I would be looking to find games for a few of those (players). We want them to play games, see if there's a club game if there is such a thing in India. I don't need him (Morris) getting stale or bored without form behind him," opined Healy.