Published 18:25 IST, February 27th 2021
Ashwin clean bowls pitch critics, calls for talk over quality of play rather than wickets
Ashwin reiterated that instead of talking about the pitch, there should be scrutiny over the quality of play after England's embarrassing 10-wicket defeat
Smashing critics complaining of pitches amidst the ongoing India-England Test series, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin stated that talks over the surface are 'getting out of hand'. The Chennai-lad reiterated that instead of talking about the pitch, there should be scrutiny over the quality of play after England's embarrassing 10-wicket defeat on Thursday in the third Test. Several players from both the camps including England skipper Joe Root has affirmed that the pitch had no part to play but instead it was the batsmen who failed to be at their best amidst the noise over the wicket by several ex-cricketers.
Addressing a press briefing on Saturday, Ashwin said, "I think I have said that in the past as well, everyone is entitled to their opinion and I am not here to say that your opinion is right and it is wrong. The fact remains that the talk about the surface is getting out of hand. Why should you talk about the surface and sell that to us time and again? Is there any instance where the pitch has been talked about this much when we have played games in other countries."
Ashwin cites Kohli's viral video
Furthermore, the seasoned off-spinner who reached a remarkable feat in the third match as he scalped his 400th Test wicket also cited a viral video of Virat Kohli to buttress his point. Ashwin referred to the video of the Indian skipper from South Africa, where Kohli asserts that he is not there to talk about the pitch.
"There have been instances, we have been to New Zealand, where both the Tests got over in a total of five days. There is a video doing rounds where Virat Kohli is talking in South Africa and he says I am not here to talk about the pitch. That is how we have been taught to play cricket, that's why I say let them sell thoughts, buying is our choice," he asserted.
"The bowler wins the game, the batsmen need to bat well to score runs. Who defines what a good surface is? Seam on the first day, then bat well in the next couple of days and spin on the last two days, who makes these rules? We need to get over it and if you are asking whether the pitch in the Third Test was a good surface, I do not see any players of England coming out and complaining. You should be hoping for a good cricket match, not the surface," he added.
The veteran spinner also clarified the intention behind his cryptic tweets on Friday. Elaborating on the same, he highlighted that his tweets were blown out of proportion and he had just expressed his thoughts. Ashwin also clarified that he was not 'affected' by Yuvraj Singh's tweet criticising the pitch in the third Test where India registered a 10-wicket victory.
Batting friendly pitch for 4th Test?
Now, with the growing noise over the turning pitches and demands of deduction of India's WTC points, a BCCI official in privy of the developments has said that the pitch for the fourth Test can be expected to be a 'batting beauty'. With Indian being 2-1 up in the four-match Test series and midway to the final of the World Test Championship, the hosts have allegedly ruled out the possibility of having another rank turner pitch to avoid any ICC sanction.
"Expect a good hard surface which will be firm and even bounce. It will be a batting beauty and since its a traditional red ball match, one can expect a very high scoring contest here from March 4-8," a senior BCCI official privy to the developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Updated 18:26 IST, February 27th 2021