Sunil Gavaskar teased England by referencing India captain Rohit Sharma’s remarks about pitches in India ahead of the five-match Test series between IND and ENG. He is quick to expose what he sees as the double standards of cricketing nations like England and Australia. The cricket legend has consistently spoken out against unwarranted criticism of Indian cricket or players.
According to Gavaskar, former cricketers from England and Australia, along with their media, tend to act as a supporting force (“12th man”) whenever they tour India. Frequently, their focal point of discussion becomes the pitches in India, which, according to Gavaskar, is where the issue lies.
Gavaskar teased England by referencing Rohit Sharma’s remarks on pitches
Following the challenging run-scoring conditions in India’s recent tour of South Africa, marked by pitches heavily favouring fast bowlers, Captain Rohit Sharma responded with counterarguments during a press conference in Cape Town.
Rohit stated that he doesn’t mind Test matches outside India concluding within two days due to pitches with excessive pace and bounce. However, he suggested other teams should refrain from criticism when pitches in India start to turn on the first day.
The second Test at Newlands concluded in under five sessions, witnessing a flurry of records and a rewrite of history books. Initially, Day 1 saw 23 wickets tumble, and later, the match became the shortest Test in terms of overs bowled, wrapping up in 107 overs before Tea on Day 2.
India secured victory by seven wickets, levelling the series, but the pitch’s characteristics sparked significant discussion. Gavaskar strongly supports the Indian captain, stating that Rohit is right.
“The Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was spot on when he said after the quick finish in the second Test that he doesn’t mind playing on pitches like the one dished out there as it’s a challenge to play on surfaces different from home,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
England is scheduled to visit India for a five-match Test series beginning on January 25, and Gavaskar anticipates the pitch will be a major talking point once again. The ex-India captain mentioned that questioning pitches in India is a deliberate part of their “agenda.”
“He (Rohit) also said that please don’t start questioning the pitch when the ball starts turning on Day One in India. Of course, he is asking for the impossible because as we have seen ever since India became a power in the sport and rightfully began to assert itself in the ICC boardrooms, there has been a concerted effort to denigrate it by those from the Old Powers.”
“They arrive with an agenda and come what may, will dish out stories for getting the brownie points at home,” Gavaskar said.
During the previous England tour of India, the home team faced significant criticism for the playing surfaces, particularly from the second Test onward. Some former England cricketers went so far as to suggest that the Indian side intentionally created conditions to prevent England from being competitive.
India made a strong comeback by winning three consecutive Tests after losing the first one, and as a result, they won the four-match series 3-1.
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