Opinion: Extreme pitches damage the game
The much anticipated Test series between hosts India and South Africa has, sadly, been dominated by talk about the playing surfaces, rather than the world class players on show.
The pitch for the first game, in Mohali, and the third match, in Nagpur, descended into a farce, and both were near impossible to bat on, with both games ending in two and bit days.
A lot has already been said by various former players on social media about what has transpired in India, with twitter abuzz with comments from David Lloyd, Michael Clarke, Michael Vaughan and Matthew Hayden, among others.
Vaughan probably hit the nail right on the head when he tweeted: “This pitch in Nagpur is nothing short of diabolical for Test cricket.”
Over the years, India was already a tough place to play Test cricket. You play in sapping heat, batsmen have to bat for long hours if they want their team to have a say in the match, and you need to counter world-class spinners. That was a given.
But after losing the T20 and ODI series against the Proteas, the hosts resorted to desperate measures to try and make their fans happy.
However, I can’t speak for all Indian people but surely they cannot be ecstatic that what are supposed to be five-day Tests are turning into three-day contests.
I am all for home ground advantage and also agree that sides like Australia and South Africa need to upskill their games, especially their batting against slow bowling on turning pitches.
But in the current series we are seeing even the India batsmen, who are the best at playing spin, struggling against part-time bowlers.
If someone like Proteas opening batsman Dean Elgar, who does not bowl much in domestic cricket, picks up four wickets of top-class India batters on the first day of a Test, then something is seriously wrong.
Instead of talking about the mesmerising bowling of Ravi Ashwin and Imran Tahir, or the sublime batting of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, we are debating the merits of playing surface.
If Pakistan’s legendary bowler Wasim Akram, who grew up playing on rank turners, calls the surface in Nagpur a ‘wrestling pit’, then surely someone should listen.
So, as in 2011 at Newlands in Cape Town, when Australia were bowled out for 47 by the Proteas, the games in Nagpur and Mohali are just as damaging for the best format.
Nasri Alexander
Latest
-
News
On this day in 2018: Australian trio banned after ball-tampering saga
The trio were handed their punishments on March 28, 2018.
-
County Cricket
Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware
Stewart has guided Surrey to three County Championship wins during his decade in charge.
-
Women's Cricket
Maia Bouchier smashes 91 as England Women seal T20 series victory
England made 177 for three and then restricted New Zealand to 130 for seven.
-
County Cricket
Yorkshire boosted by Harry Brook and Joe Root’s early-season availability
Both players are not at the Indian Premier League.
-
England
Ollie Pope ‘itching’ to get back scoring runs after ‘frustrating’ tour of India
The England vice-captain hit a superb 196 in Hyderabad, but averaged only 14.75 in the next four Tests of the India series.
-
Women's Cricket
Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return
Australia will host England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Women’s Ashes early next year.
-
County Cricket
Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign
Brook withdrew from England’s Test tour of India in January due to personal reasons.
-
England
England spinner Tom Hartley expects his exploits in India to be ‘life changing’
Hartley’s second-innings haul of seven for 62 in Hyderabad delivered one England’s greatest ever overseas victories.
-
Women's Cricket
Heather Knight urges more composure from England after New Zealand collapse
The tourists needed just 29 from 29 balls with eight wickets in hand.
-
Australia
On this day in 2018: Australia ‘sandpapergate’ ball-tampering controversy erupts
The incident led to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft being banned from playing for Australia.