IND vs AUS
A series of four Test matches is being played between India and Australia. Team India is currently leading the series 2-1, but India suffered a 9-wicket defeat in the third Test. The ICC has given 3 demerit points to the pitch of Holkar Stadium in Indore, which will remain for five years. Now former Australia captain Mark Taylor has criticized Indian pitches.
Former Australian captain said this
Former Australia captain Mark Taylor has lashed out at all the three pitches used so far for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, saying that some degree of ‘gimmicking’ has been done in preparing such pitches. India lead the four-match series 2-1 with one Test match remaining in Ahmedabad. The Nagpur and New Delhi pitches were rated ‘Average’ by the ICC while the Indore pitch was rated ‘Poor’ by match referee Chris Broad.
Spinners got help on the first day itself
This bad rating also earned Indore three demerit points and these points will remain for a period of five years. India were bundled out for 109 and 163 in both innings, while Australia scored 197 in the first innings and then chased down the target of 76 on the morning of the third day to win. While giving the pitch rating of Indore to the Sydney Morning Herald, Taylor said that I agree with it. I definitely think the pitches have been absolutely bad for the series. To be honest, the Indore pitch was the worst of the three. I don’t think spinners should get that much help from day one on the pitch.
The former opening batsman said that if this happens on the fourth or fifth day of the match, then things are understandable, but if the ball turns so much from the first day itself, then it is the result of poor (pitch) preparation. I felt that the Indore pitch was very bad and should have been ranked accordingly.
Gavaskar is not happy
Former India batsman Sunil Gavaskar, however, is not happy with the ‘poor’ rating given to the Indore pitch. He cited the example of the Gabba pitch, where the first Test between Australia and South Africa in December was given a ‘poor to average’ rating by the ICC despite ending within two. Taylor disagreed with him, saying that the Brisbane pitch was similar for both the teams, while the first three Tests of the India-Australia series had been prepared entirely for spinners.
Australia did the best
The Australian skipper said that the pitch at the Gabba would have helped South Africa’s fast bowlers as much (as Australia) because they had four very good fast bowlers. This is not the case with Indian pitches. Here such pitches have been prepared with trickery. He further said that it gave an opportunity to our spinners to show their skills and they performed much better than India thought.
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