India boycott press match after media battles

Aggrieved at their treatment in Australia over the past few days, sections of India’s backroom team and travelling media have boycotted a prearranged press match against local counterparts that was meant to be played on Sunday afternoon.

The game, scheduled to be played as a Twenty20 at Junction Oval in Melbourne, had been organised by Cricket Australia as a gesture of goodwill to both media packs amid a hectic summer.

An empty Junction Oval where the media game was due to be played.

But the game was cancelled on Sunday after the Indian team’s media manager chose not to take part, according to three sources with knowledge of the events, who would not be named in order to speak freely.

That led to numerous members of the travelling media contingent also pulling out, making it impossible to play a formal match. The BCCI was contacted for comment.

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