The WACA curator Cam Sutherland described the images of people walking and drinking on the Test pitch last night as "unfortunate" but insisted he and his staff were only inspecting the "aesthetics" of the wicket before today's match.

On the eve of the third Test between India and Australia here, Indian television showed images of around a dozen WACA staff standing, drinking and lying on the pitch as Sutherland did a final inspection at around 7.30 pm local time.

Sutherland expressed disappointment that he and his colleagues were made to look unprofessional by the television that appeared to show up to a dozen people standing, drinking and lying on the pitch.

"I was the one that removed covers. I was out doing the work initially and a couple of my staff came out and joined me. We were the ones that were lying on the pitch and that seems to be the issue. Well, yeah, we were working on it," Sutherland told 'ABC Radio'.