New Delhi: Calling it “the destruction of Test cricket”, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh says under-prepared and excessively bowler-friendly surfaces like the one used at Eden Gardens prevent the genuine development of players.
India slipped to a 30-run defeat while chasing 124 in the first Test against South Africa as the game ended inside three days.
“They have completely destroyed Test cricket. Rest in peace, Test cricket,” Singh, said on his YouTube channel.
“The kind of work they have done, the kind of pitches that have been made for so many years now, I have been seeing it. No one talks about it because it is fine, the team is winning, someone is taking wickets, someone is becoming great by taking those wickets.
“So everyone feels everything is going well. But I feel that this practice has not started today. It has been going on for many years, and I feel it is the wrong way of playing,” added Singh, who had taken 13 wickets at the same venue in India’s famous 2001 win over Australia.
Singh said it was time to reflect on the issue, as such pitches do not contribute to the development of players.
“You are not moving forward in any way, you are just going around in circles like an ox tied to a mill. You are winning, but there is no real benefit. As a cricketer, you are not growing,” he said.
“So I feel it is high time to see and reflect on this, that playing matches on such pitches where your batsmen are not even sure how to score runs, and you are making them look like they do not know how to bat.
“Then what difference remains between a capable bowler and a capable batsman if the conditions become so favourable that people are getting out because of the pitch and not because of skill? It is sad to see how Test cricket is being played. I don’t know why we are doing this,” said Singh, who has taken 417 wickets in 103 Tests.
India will play South Africa in the second and final Test in Guwahati starting November 22.
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