Chika Talk
Kris Srikkanth
India should play on sporting home pitches
March 28, 2008
Test matches in the subcontinent tend to go to one extreme or the other. Either you get a square turner on which the visiting batsmen generally don't stand a chance or you get a wicket that is so placid that the bowlers of both sides have no chance. When wickets swing to the extreme like the one at Chepauk for the first Test, what you get is a onesided contest in which the bowlers of both sides stand very little chance of dominating the proceedings.
The runs batsmen score may always be attractive but when you know they are getting them without even having to try too hard, spectators tend to get bored with the action.
I know the Chennai weather may have to take the blame for much of the way the wicket is playing.
The groundsmen have not had the opportunity to prepare the pitch by constant rolling and watering as they would have liked to.
I don't blame the bowlers for failing as they did in South Africa's first innings of 540.
The point everyone has to accept is Indian cricket does not have to switch to spinning pitches to win Tests.
Today, the attack has a balanced look to the extent of the Indian team winning a match in Perth, said to be the fastest pitch in the world.
If you look at India's record over the last couple of seasons, you will realise that there is no need at all to play on docile pitches or on deliberately prepared turners.
If India can win Tests at Wanderers, Trent Bridge and Perth why should any captain fear to play on sporting pitches at home? My opinion is if you start preparing sporting pitches for home series, the crowds will start patronising Test matches too. If there is a nice tussle for runs between bat and ball and at the end of five days there is a result, the fans will go home happy.
Indian cricket has matured to a point where it can take on the world, even aim for the top spot that Australia has been occupying for so long. We can do so by being positive rather than try to sneak a win on a turning pitch and preserve our number two position on the ranking.
Had we been in South Africa's strong position if Kumble won the toss and the batsmen had piled on the runs, everyone would have gone home happy with the feeling that our bowlers would win the game on a wearing pitch. The fact is Indian team can win on any surface.
Having said that, I must compliment the South African openers and Hashim Amla for making the best possible use of fine batting conditions.
They were not overwhelmed by the thought of playing India on alien soil. Having played recently in Bangladesh, they showed they have the patience to work the bowling in such pitches and put up a big total on the board with which their bowlers can try to exert pressure.
It may not be easy for any team to squeeze out a result in such conditions although I have the sneaking feeling that South Africa is not altogether safe despite scoring 540 runs.
If they don't rein in the free scorers like Sehwag they would have to bat nervously a second time on the final day to save this one.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
The runs batsmen score may always be attractive but when you know they are getting them without even having to try too hard, spectators tend to get bored with the action.
I know the Chennai weather may have to take the blame for much of the way the wicket is playing.
The groundsmen have not had the opportunity to prepare the pitch by constant rolling and watering as they would have liked to.
I don't blame the bowlers for failing as they did in South Africa's first innings of 540.
The point everyone has to accept is Indian cricket does not have to switch to spinning pitches to win Tests.
Today, the attack has a balanced look to the extent of the Indian team winning a match in Perth, said to be the fastest pitch in the world.
If you look at India's record over the last couple of seasons, you will realise that there is no need at all to play on docile pitches or on deliberately prepared turners.
If India can win Tests at Wanderers, Trent Bridge and Perth why should any captain fear to play on sporting pitches at home? My opinion is if you start preparing sporting pitches for home series, the crowds will start patronising Test matches too. If there is a nice tussle for runs between bat and ball and at the end of five days there is a result, the fans will go home happy.
Indian cricket has matured to a point where it can take on the world, even aim for the top spot that Australia has been occupying for so long. We can do so by being positive rather than try to sneak a win on a turning pitch and preserve our number two position on the ranking.
Had we been in South Africa's strong position if Kumble won the toss and the batsmen had piled on the runs, everyone would have gone home happy with the feeling that our bowlers would win the game on a wearing pitch. The fact is Indian team can win on any surface.
Having said that, I must compliment the South African openers and Hashim Amla for making the best possible use of fine batting conditions.
They were not overwhelmed by the thought of playing India on alien soil. Having played recently in Bangladesh, they showed they have the patience to work the bowling in such pitches and put up a big total on the board with which their bowlers can try to exert pressure.
It may not be easy for any team to squeeze out a result in such conditions although I have the sneaking feeling that South Africa is not altogether safe despite scoring 540 runs.
If they don't rein in the free scorers like Sehwag they would have to bat nervously a second time on the final day to save this one.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
