Jofra Archer calls Chennai pitch curated by 42-year-old businessman 'Worst Ever'

The pitch used for the first Test of the India-England series at the Chepauk was under immense scrutiny. The pitch was criticised for being as flat as a pancake on the first two days whereas the last three days saw the surface producing uneven bounce. The visitors went on to secure a stunning 227-run win and took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series to set up an enthralling series between the two cricketing giants.

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Jofra Archer slams pitch used in Chennai for first Test, calls it 'worst ever'

Despite having won the match comprehensively, England pacer Jofra Archer had some harsh words to say about the Chepauk pitch used for the first Test. The Englishman has termed the Chepauk pitch as the worst he has ever seen. Archer spoke in length about the Chepauk pitch in his column for the Daily Mail.

Archer said that the Chepauk pitch was probably the worst surface he saw on the fifth day of a Test match. He added that the pitch was orange in colour with bits missing and rough patches for the bowlers to aim at. Archer reckoned that when they walked out in search of nine wickets on the fifth day, he was very hopeful they would complete the job.

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However, he admitted that Indian players have big reputations and are at home, so they felt that the hosts would be able to cope with conditions better than anyone. Archer further said that he didn't expect the visitors to skittle the Indian team out that cheaply. He also said that neither did he expect the match to finish not long after afternoon drinks.

Notably, the pitch curator for the first India vs England Test, V Ramesh Kumar is a businessman by profession who runs two successful apparel companies: Cosimo International, a garment manufacturing company that exports to firms in Europe, and Allwin Colours, a dyeing company. However, Kumar's love for the game made him learn the art of pitch-curating and he has been doing it for some years now.

Ahead of the first Test, Ramesh had said that they are working to get a sporting wicket. Speaking in detail about India vs England pitch report, Ramesh stated that it will be a typical Chepauk pitch but with English look. Ramesh further said that it will work for all three departments and will be a keen contest between bat and ball. He opined that on the first day, there will be something for the fast bowlers and on the second and third days, the pitch will favour the batsmen. He also said that from the fourth day onwards, there will be wear and tear and the pitch will be conducive for the spinners. However, if the way the pitch behaved in the series opener is anything to go by, the Chennai pitch has been everything but a sporting wicket.

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Meanwhile, the second Test of the India vs England 2021 Test series will commence on Saturday, February 13 in Chennai. The live streaming of India vs England 2nd Test will begin at 9:30 AM. The India vs England 2nd Test will broadcast live on television on Star Sports Network's Star Sports 1 SD & HD and 1 Hindi SD and HD channels. The entire India vs England series will also be available as a live stream on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website. The India vs England live scores and updates can be found on the websites and social media handles of the BCCI and England Cricket.

Jofra Archer career stats

Archer in his short career has impressed one and all with his raw pace and the ability to generate extreme bounce off any pitch. The Archer career stats make for a staggering read. The 25-year old has played 12 Tests where he has picked 41 wickets at an average of 31.2 with three fifers. Archer also has 30 and 7 wickets to his name in 17 ODIs and 7 T20Is respectively. Archer has also been successful in the IPL with 46 scalps to his name in 35 games at an exceptional economy rate of 7.13.

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SOURCE: AP/ BCCI.TV