Mumbai: With only a few days left before the start of the India versus Australia Test series next week, there is a lot of focus on the pitches that the four-match series will be played on with the Australians raising concerns on rank turners that their teams will have to play on.
Former Australia wicket-keeper Ian Healy has accused the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will provide square-turners and termed such tactics “unfair”. However, former India coach John Wright has hit back at Healy claiming that teams playing at home are entitled to produce pitches to suit their own team.
Healy, the cricketer-turned-commentator, started the debate by claiming that India could win the series only by producing “unreasonable wickets”, adding that it only benefits Indian cricketers and should not be promoted again.
“They (India) have got a good team but I’m not too scared of their spinners unless they produce unreasonable wickets. If they produce unreasonable wickets like they did half the series last time (we won’t win), two wickets were just terrible, unfair, spinners jumping over your head on day one,” Healy was quoted as saying by SEN Network.
“So that type of thing they will play better on than we will, but if they get flat wickets that India used to put out, nice flat batting wickets and bowlers have to work really hard, I think we can do it. But (my prediction is) 2-1 India, if (Mitchell) starc is unavailable in the first Test,” Healy said.
John dismissed the claims about unfair pitch and said such tactics are not unfair.
“Countries playing at home are entitled to produce pitches to suit their own team. That’s not unfair it’s what makes test cricket great #INDvsAUS #ianhealy,” he said in a tweet.
The Indians have earlier rejected such claims by visiting teams especially Australia over spin-friendly tracks saying when they tour other countries, they have to play on pitches aiding fast or swing bowling.
IANS
