BENGALURU: Premier India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has dismissed former Australia captain Steve Smith's comments about tour games ahead of the four-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy beginning February 9 in Nagpur.
Australian batting's mainstay Smith has spoken about the visitors going into the first Test without playing any tour games, calling it "irrelevant" because of the stark difference in tracks rolled out for tour games and the Test matches.
"We normally have two tour games over in England. This time we don't have a tour game in India. The last time (2017) we went, I'm pretty sure we got served up a green top (to practice on) and it was sort of irrelevant," Smith was quoted as saying by the Australian media ahead of the tour.
He added: 'We got a green wicket in Brabourne and a completely opposite one in the first Test (during the 2017 tour)."
Preparing ahead of the first Test, the Australian team is having a training camp in Alur near Bengaluru.
Ashwin said it was nothing but the Aussie mind games ahead of a big series.
"Australia are not playing any tour matches this time. This is not new. Even India avoids tour games when they go on a few overseas tours. Since Team India's schedule is packed with international games, it is not possible to turn up for practice games with the same intensity," said Ashwin, previewing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on his YouTube channel.
"We might have given them a green track (for practice in 2017), but nobody plans all these things. However, Australia are known for its mind games and sledges before a series. They love doing that. It's their style of cricket," Ashwin added.
After the first Test in Nagpur, the teams will head to Delhi for the second match of the series, followed by third at Dharamshala and the final Test in Ahmedabad.