Rohit Sharma and Co. are all set to clash with the ICC No. 1 ranked Test team Australia in the four-match Test series. Both teams have produced some top-quality series over the past decade India The Aussies have managed to beat the side on three previous occasions, two of which came down in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
As always, the stakes will once again be high when the two teams take on each other in the first match of the series starting in Vidarbha on Thursday. Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur. Both the teams are going through some injury woes in their camps and are looking for the right combination to prove their supremacy over each other.
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However, ahead of the first Test, a lot of noise around the pitch, which looks quite dry with a large patch, is expected to trouble left-handed batsmen. India can play with just two left-handed batsmen in the XI – Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, who will come down the order. But it is almost the opposite for Australia, who have the likes of David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Alex Carey and Matthew Renshaw in their batting line-up.
Without a single ball being bowled, the Australian media and some former cricketers have already started complaining about the pitch, terming it as a ‘tampering’ or ‘unfair’ pitch for the opposition. This is not the first time a pitch has been constructed in India to aid spinners, but the bare patches at both ends in Jamtha have attracted the attention of cricket fans and critics. It is reported that the patch has been created by curators through selective watering, selective rolling and selective mowing.
As the match progresses, the Nagpur pitch is going to have some big cracks which are going to help the spinners and India have some specialists in the department to trouble Australia.
Ian Healy starts pitch drama and gets beaten
The drama began when former Australian wicket-keeper Ian Healy said that if India made proper wickets, Australia would win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Healy said, ‘I think if they prepare proper Indian wickets, which are good batting wickets, (which) probably spin and spin continuously, but spin for a long time, at the end of the match we (Australia) ) win. SENQ Breakfast’.
“I’m worried about (Mitchell) Starc and (Nathan) Lyon in the first Test if they’re unfair wickets that I’ve seen in the last series, where the ball was bouncing and sliding down ridiculously from day one, I India seems to play better than us in those conditions.”
However, he was criticized for his comments by his own countryman Ian Chappell and former India head coach Ravi Shastri.
“What Ian Healy said would benefit Australia… A lot of it is based on what Australia have done at home. They’re not playing at home. They’re playing in India.” Why anyone would think that India doesn’t start with an advantage, I don’t know.
Meanwhile, Shastri said that he wants the ball to turn from day one.
“You are talking to an Indian here who is on two tours to Australia now. I want the ball to turn from day one. From day one. If you are fielding first, you can see the ball turning a bit. Would like to. This is your strength, capitalize on it,” Shastri said.
Former India head coach John Wright also hit back at Healy for his comments, “Countries playing at home are entitled to pitches to suit their team. It’s not unfair, it’s what makes Test cricket great #INDvsAUS #ianhealy Wright tweeted.
Veteran India spinner Harbhajan Singh also took a dig at the critics and tweeted, “I think India vs Australia is the greatest Test series. But sadly the pitches make more noise than Test cricket. #Savetestcricket.” “
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Australian media and former cricketers react to dry patch
Recently, former Australian cricketer Simon O’Donnell has demanded the intervention of the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the preparation of the Nagpur pitch.
“The ICC should step in and do something about it if they feel it is not right. If they feel the pitch is not right, there will be an ICC referee in the game and the ICC will look at the game,” O’Donnell said on the SEN Breakfast show.
All captains focused on accepting the challenge
However, Australia captain Pat Cummins did not add any fuel to the fire and suggested that home advantage is not a terrible thing and it is a challenge for the visitors.
“Not really,” Cummins said. “I think that’s part of the challenge of playing away. Home teams want to win at home. In Australia we’re lucky to have pace and bounce. But home match advantage, I don’t have.” I don’t think it’s a terrible thing. It’s just another challenge and it makes touring here even more difficult when you know the conditions are specially created for them.”
In another press conference, he addressed the dry patches which were expected to trouble the left-handed batsmen, but the Australian skipper was in no mood for any contention and suggested the southpaw would accept the challenge.
“I think it is a bit dry for left-handers knowing how much traffic will go there from right-arm bowlers. [from over the wicket], Yes, could potentially be a bit rough. So, again, this is something you just have to embrace. it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be challenging at times, but our batsmen get a chance to solve problems on their feet and I think some of them will get that chance this week.”
At the same time, Indian captain Rohit Sharma advised the critics to focus on cricket and not worry too much about the pitch.
speaking about [talk of a] Doctored wicket, I think you have to focus on the cricket that is going to be played for the next five days and don’t worry too much about the pitch. In the last series that we played here, there was a lot of talk about pitches and other things. I think all the 22 cricketers who are going to play, they are all quality cricketers, so don’t worry too much about how the pitch is going to be, how much it is turning, how much it is seaming and things like that. other things. You just have to come out and play good cricket and win games, as simple as that,” Rohit said at the press conference.
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