The recently concluded 3rd test match between England and India in Motera has raised doubts, equally, in England’s ability to play spin… with spine, and the appropriateness of the pitch conditions for a test match.
So let’s address the easy question. England as a team did not show the courage to use their feet against the spinners. Rarely did they come out of their crease, or just play an attacking shot to put pressure back on the Indian spinners. Each and every player seemed rooted (no pun intended) to the crease, and looked as inconsequential as a pinball machine… the trajectory of the ball would not be affected in any way no matter if bat, pad or stump got in the way. No doubt, the better team won.
So now to the topic of the week and whether that pitch is worthy of being a Test match wicket. My verdict is not at all.
Since it’s called “A Test” match, are we allowed to claim that such a pitch is “not in syllabus?”. Well that would be convenient. But let’s continue that analogy. It felt like England came prepared for a physics exam, with 3 fast bowlers, a bowling all-rounder, and just 1 specialist spin bowler when the actual subject was economics. On the other hand, India showed up with conversion tables, 3 calculators and a central banker.
The problem is that after both teams had a fair chance to bat, before the end of the 4th session, 20 wickets had fallen. While one could argue that at the end of 2 innings, India only had a slight edge, and either team could walk away with a win. Each team still controlled the outcome of the game. Yes, the better team won eventually… well.. more like by dinner.
This wasn’t a test, it was a pop quiz.
Here was a game where there was no reward for endurance, building partnerships or navigating through phases of an innings. There was just 1 phase, 1 mode, 1 strategy. Spin at both ends, survive and try to read the straight ball, else make hay and score at every single opportunity. Where were the ebbs and flows? Where was the chance to take advantage of the 4th and 5th bowlers? Where was the change in conditions that the twilight sessions brought on. More was said about the lacquer of the pink ball than the excessive swing.
A proper exam has a multiple choice section, an essay section, a comprehension and a straight out problem solving section. Cricket Test matches are meant to challenge all aspects of the game. It is a game, at the end of which, the entire ledger can be forensically analyzed for debits, credits, unexpected windfalls and frivolous girlfriend expenses. Test match heroes aren’t made of players who have to just show up and pitch the ball in the right areas. Hero’s have to win the girl over, fight off the villains, make a statement about bold vs bland cricket. All we got was a pitch that offered the same experience from ball one to the end. We didn’t even get the melodrama of a high maintenance girlfriend.
Good one 👍. I want to put a big question mark on the administrators’ role here. Few years back ICC raised their eyebrows over the pitch conditions in Mumbai when a test match was over in 2 days. I see no questions have been asked by ICC about Chennai and Ahmedabad pitch conditions.
Indian captains also have to change their mindset about greener surfaces. I remember Ganguly declaring himself unfit after pitch inspection in Nagpur. The VCA curator had ‘mistakenly’ prepared a green top wicket against England. Don’t remember if Swann was playing there but Panesar was bowling decent leg spin that time.
Anyway it was not a fun match to watch, thumbs down to the wicket…