Last Update: February 12, 2023, 13:47 IST
India won the first Test by an innings and 132 runs. (AP Photo)
The legendary captain has said that India have exposed Australia’s weakness against good spin bowling
The noise of ‘tamper pitch’ allegations has died down after what happened during the three days of the first Test between India and Pakistan. India and Australia in Nagpur. India on Saturday outclassed their opponents with ball and bat to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
Based on how the groundstaff was preparing the pitch for the series opener, various media reports began claiming how the surface was being manipulated to give the Indian bowlers an advantage against the Australian batting line-up, In which there were many left-handed batsmen.
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However, on a pitch where Australia were bundled out for 177 in their first dig, India scored 400. In fact, Rohit Sharma hit a century while Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja – the two lefties – scored big fifties.
After taking a huge lead, India bundled out Australia for 91 to win by an innings and 132 runs.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell said the reality is that India are a better side which is very strong, especially at home.
The 79-year-old wrote in his column, “The fact is that India have developed into a very strong side around the world, with a special feel for how to win at home.” ESPNcricinfo,
He said the Indian spin attack comprising Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Akshar Patel has exposed Australia’s weakness against good spin bowling.
Chappell wrote, “The first Test exposed Australia’s weakness against good spin bowling on turning pitches.”
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He advised Australia not to get bogged down by the magnitude of the defeat.
“If they can ensure that this setback does not mean that their mental ability to face in India has not deteriorated, then it will keep them going in the series. If they falter, they are in big trouble,” Chappell wrote.
He says the pitch talk was just a ‘small game’ and in fact Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne showed others how to deal with it.
He said, ‘It was exactly the same noise in terms of pitch. Not unexpectedly, it turned out to be nothing more than an Indian red-clay wicket on the first day,” wrote Chappell.
“It was not impossible to play well, as Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith showed, but Australia failed to post a good first innings total. Accusing the media about pitch-doctoring is nothing new. The players need to ignore this little game or else it will have a bad effect on the visiting team.”
He pointed out that India also played on the same track and ended up with 400 runs. “How are the pitches going and there is a lot of emphasis on doctoring. It is worth remembering that both the teams have to play on the same pitch.”
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