Australia's chief cricket selector John Inverarity feels the Champions League Twenty20 starting on Saturday is adversely affecting the team's Test preparations ahead of the series against South Africa next month.
Star players such as World Twenty20 Player of the Tournament Shane Watson, David Warner, Mike Hussey, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Brad Haddin will be competing in the CLT20 for their respective teams.
Due to this, they would play just one Sheffield Shield match before the first Test against the Proteas starting on November 9 and Inverarity is not particularly pleased with the situation.
"It is anything but an ideal preparation," Inverarity told The Herald Sun in Melbourne.
"You just have to do your best but having the Champions League where it is now is not in the best interests of good preparation for the first Test."
Inverarity said pacer Cummins would be used sparingly during the series.
"For some time you will not see him play three Tests in a row," Inverarity said.
