Australia’s India tour too long, says Mark Waugh

The selector preferred the tour to be “a week or two shorter” to accommodate some time off with Ashes around the corner.

Mark Waugh... “There’s been a lot of travel, but I think [the players are] coping pretty well.”

The limited-overs tour of Australia is too lengthy, according to selector and former opener Mark Waugh.

The tour started with the first One-Day International (ODI) on September 17 and ends with the third Twenty20 International (T20I) on Friday, October 13.

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Waugh said he would have preferred players have more time off with the Ashes around the corner. “It’s got to be said, it’s not an ideal time to be away from Australia,” Waugh told Sky Sports Radio on Thursday. “This series has been a bit spread out. It would have been better probably if it was a week or two shorter.”

Blessing

The retired batting great said the early departures from the subcontinent of captain Steve Smith and fast bowlers Mitchell Star and Pat Cummins were a blessing. “Once they get home, they’ll have a little break then they’ll be back focused on red ball cricket, then the Ashes,” Waugh said.

“The players are pretty much used to it; it’s probably more the travelling, flying around. This one-day tournament and T20 tournament has been to about eight different places, so there’s been a lot of travel. But I think they’re coping pretty well,” he said.