India vs England: Former players feel Motera pitch not ideal for Test match, Sunil Gavaskar thinks otherwise | Cricket News

AHMEDABAD: Several former players, together with India’s Harbhajan Singh and VVS Laxman, on Thursday mentioned that the turning Motera pitch, on which India defeated England by 10 wickets inside two days, was not ideal for Tests, an opinion that was not shared by the legendary Sunil Gavaskar.
Gavaskar mentioned the overtly defensive mindset of the batsmen was accountable for their dismissals as most of them received out to straighter deliveries.
India demolished England by 10 wickets to go 2-1 up within the four-match collection with the spinners taking all however one of many 20 opposition wickets. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel had a match-haul of 11 for 70 whereas senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took seven wickets to achieve milestone 400 wickets.
“It was not an ideal pitch for a Test match and even India collapsed (to 145 of their first innings,” former India batting stalwart Laxman mentioned.

Harbhajan, one of many 4 members of the Indian 400 Test wicket membership, additionally felt the identical.
“It is not an ideal pitch. India would even have been in hassle if England had scored 200 of their first innings. But it (the pitch) is identical for each side,” mentioned the 40-year-old off-spinner.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan mocked the floor in a tweet.
“If we’re going to see these pitches … I’ve a solution to the way it might work … Give the Teams 3 innings !!! #INDvENG,” he wrote.

Yuvraj was additionally very vital of it although he lauded the Indian bowlers for their glorious efficiency.
“Finished in 2 days Not positive if that is good for take a look at cricket !If @anilkumble1074 and @harbhajan_singh bowled on these sort of wickets they might be sitting on a thousand and 800?” he tweeted.

“However congratulations to @akshar2026 what a spell! congratulations @ashwinravi99 @ImIshant.”
Gavaskar credited Indian spinners Ashwin and Patel for India’s win relatively than blaming the pitch.
“It’s extra in regards to the intent and utility of the batsmen. It is a pitch the place Rohit and Crawley hit half centuries. England had been considering of the best way to survive and not the best way to rating runs.
“You must credit score Axar Patel for the way in which he has used the odd ball that straightens. Ashwin and Axar had been excellent.”
Former England spinner Graeme Swann slammed the guests for taking part in only one spinner in a Test match in India the place pitches are typically spin-friendly.
“You can not come to India and play only one spinner in a Test match and get method on this wicket,” he mentioned.
Joining the criticism of the observe was Kevin Pietersen.
“To have a pitch like this for one match is ok as batsmen’s ability is put to check. But I might not prefer to see a pitch like this once more and I believe not one of the different players wish to see it both. Well performed Inida,” he posted.