BCCI slaps down Warne

India’s cricket board has dismissed criticism by Australian spin great Shane Warne over the playing surface selected for a crunch Indian Premier League game his team played this week.

Warne, captain of the Rajasthan Royals, had hinted at foul play over a decision to change the wicket for a home match against Chennai Super Kings in Jaipur earlier this week from the one used in previous games. “It’s strange for the first time in four years we were told we are to play on end wicket and it was prepared completely differently,” Warne wrote on his Twitter account after his team crashed to a 63-run defeat.

The previous track had generally been slow and turning, which favoured Rajasthan’s spin-heavy attack that had helped the team notch up four home victories before Monday’s game.

The Chennai Super Kings franchise is owned by N. Srinivasan, who is the secretary of the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). NEW DELHI, Wednesday, AFP