MyKhel Exclusive! Surinder Khanna Flays Sydney Pitch, Calls For Balanced Wicket After IND vs AUS 5th Test Ends on Day 3

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Former Indian cricketer Surinder Khanna flayed the Sydney pitch and said that it wasn't a perfect Test match wicket. "It's not a suitable pitch for a high-profile Test match like India versus Australia, especially in the context of a challenging wicket that can heavily influence the outcome of the match," Khanna told MyKhel on Sunday (January 5).

Batting on a pitch with "undulations"-meaning uneven bounce and movement off the surface - can indeed make the game far more dangerous for the batters. In such conditions, the risk of getting out increases significantly, and batting becomes more about survival than scoring runs.

Khanna's point about such a pitch not being suitable for a high-stakes Test match explains the importance of pitches in Test cricket, where the balance between bat and ball plays a key role in ensuring a fair and competitive contest.

"A wicket that heavily favors the bowlers or offers extreme challenges to the batters can lead to a situation where the match becomes more about luck than skill, and the outcome may be decided by factors beyond the players' control," Khanna said.

In a marquee series like India vs Australia, where both teams bring strong, high-quality sides, the pitch should ideally offer a fair contest, where both batters and bowlers have the chance to showcase their skills.

When the wicket is too 'volatile', it can create an imbalance, leading to unfair outcomes, especially when the batting side is constantly under pressure from unpredictable bounce or seam movement.

Khanna advocated better pitch preparation which isensures an exciting yet competitive contest between bat and ball. "Had this been in India, a lot of noise would have been created by now," Khanna said.

Moreover, Sydney is known for offering varying degrees of assistance to both fast bowlers and spinners, but if the pitch is excessively unpredictable, it could lead to the kind of chaos that harms the quality of cricket being played.

A pitch that offers extreme movement or undulations could also lead to an increased risk of injury for the players, which, in a high-profile series, only adds to the tension.

In such situations, the role of the match officials, the groundsmen, and the ICC becomes crucial in ensuring that the pitch provides a fair and balanced challenge.

A surface that is deemed unfit for top-level cricket could spark debates about pitch preparation standards and whether pitches are being intentionally prepared to favor one side.

This kind of inconsistency, especially in a Test match between two cricketing giants, should be avoided, as it could overshadow the overall quality of the cricket being played.