Ravichandran Ashwin, an experienced Indian spinner, criticized the airing of practice matches for India, arguing that practice matches are intended for experimentation, not being judged by the public. He further added, one cannot evaluate performances in practice matches. Practice matches allow players to acclimatise to conditions and work on their skills without the pressure of a game situation. A few tour matches often precede away tours for India, such as the matches recently played before the India vs England Test series to get players acclimatised to the weather, pitch, and conditions.

“Say no to televised practice games,” says Ravichandran Ashwin.

Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash ki Baat, Ashwin explained that televising these games exposes players’ tactics and weaknesses to the opposition. “As a cricketer, I hated playing those games which were televised and were not Test matches. If I have to bowl with a different action, I’ll have to think ten times before doing it,” he said, recalling his own experience while developing the carrom ball. “When I started bowling that delivery, it used to fall short. If I have to experiment in front of the cameras, I’ll fail publicly, and then face unnecessary scrutiny.”

Ashwin pointed out that the core purpose of practice games—to experiment freely—is being lost. He noted that players might want to try unconventional strategies without being watched or judged. “Maybe Virat Kohli wants to bat a certain way, or even try batting left-handed or playing a reverse sweep. But with cameras everywhere, you’re constantly under the microscope,” he said.

He further highlighted that even if matches are closed to the media, scores and details often leak. “Practice matches are for players to explore and test the waters at their own pace. That freedom is crucial for improvement,” Ashwin concluded.