Ever since India started dominating the Test series from the first day of the second match in Chennai, there have been many Indian players who have come for the customary pre-match and post-match press conferences and offered their opinions on the match, on rival players, on results and so many other issues.
However, if there is one common topic and a unanimous reply then it has to be the steadfast support for the quality of pitches they have been offered after the defeat in the first match. From the highest run-getter for the home team (Rohit Sharma with 296 runs) to the least successful among all the Indian top-order batters (Ajinkya Rahane with just 85 runs), everybody is on the same page without even blinking for a second.
While the usually reticent Cheteshwar Pujara has also backed his teammates on the controversial pitch talk, the likes of Ravichandaran Ashwin and captain Virat Kohli have not only defended the tracks vociferously, but also managed to provoke the non-subcontinental cricket experts.
If Ashwin asked who decides "what is a good cricket surface?", his captain Kohli suggested that the influence of limited-overs cricket has caused damage to modern batsmen's defensive techniques essential to the Test cricket.
Unlike yesteryears, this Indian team is also being backed by some of the most iconic names of cricket. If Sir Vivian Richards asked the former English players to stop moaning and groaning about the wicket, one of the modern greats Nathon Lyon from Australia put his weight behind the Indian team.
“We play on seaming wickets around the world and get bowled out for 47, 60. Nobody ever says a thing (about the pitch). But as soon as it starts spinning, everyone in the world seems to start crying about it,” said Lyon.
This indeed has come as a pleasant surprise to many Indian fans that were traditionally apologetic when wins like the pink-ball Test come on a turning track.
Of course, some of the modern England captains like Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and most vocal among them Michael Vaughan have been brutally critical of the pitches for the ongoing series. However, those voices have been neutralised by some of the equally great names and arguably more credible names like Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton.
“I do not think it was 112 all out on the first day, it was not dangerous and not unsuitable, in my opinion. I am not saying you would want these conditions every time you play, but it is in India and the ball will spin. Find a way of dealing with it, do not complain,” suggested former England captain Atherton (Skysports, UK) who has led his country in 54 matches.
Perhaps, the most balanced view came from Hussain’s column in UK’s Daily Mail. “I don't believe the Ahmadabad pitch provided a fair contest between bat and ball – but neither do I believe England can use that as an excuse for losing the third Test.”
Forget the pitch talk for a while as there is a lot to play for both the teams in the last match of the series which starts from March 4 in Ahmadabad, but this time with the traditional red ball. A win by England will ensure a desperately needed draw series result for the visitors, but it may jeopardise the chances of India making it to the final of the World Test Championship in June against New Zealand.
Even though Kohli will equal the record of MS Dhoni (who has led India in record 60 matches) the moment he enters the field for the toss, the match will become memorable in real sense only if his team wins another match in the Narendra Modi Stadium.
What can be a better occasion or a place for Kohli to equal the former West Indian captain Clive Llyod’s record of 36 wins in the Test cricket and become the fourth most successful in the history of the game? If it happens then one can expect for the first time the pitch-talk may be overshadowed by a truly cricketing accomplishment.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
