Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
 

IND vs AUS: Australia greats Waugh, Hayden, Clarke take at BCCI over Indore pitch

IND vs AUS: Australia greats Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke and others have lambasted the Indore pitch and questioned its "standard" for Test cricket. India were bundled out for 109 in just 33.2 overs on Day 1.

By Mykhel Staff

ind-vs-australia-third-test-indore-pitch


Day 1 of the ongoing third Test between India and Australia in Indore saw the hosts shockingly getting bundled out for 109 in just 33.2 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat first.

Spin was introduced as early as the sixth over and the drama on Wednesday kicked off from there. India captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed on the final ball of the sixth over from Matthew Kuhnemann who went on to pick a five-wicket haul in the match. Rohit's departure triggered a collapse which saw India getting reduced to 45/5.

The spin on offer was so much so that just seven overs of pace was used by visitors. Apart from the one run out, the Australian spinners managed to pick all the remaining nine wickets.

Australian greats were left shell shocked and could hardly believe their eyes after witnessing what was unfurling on Day 1 of a Test match.

Indore Pitch lambasted

Former Test captain Michael Clarke minced no words and called the pitch a "crap".

“What is this pitch we’re playing on,” Clarke said on Sky Sports Radio.

“For me, it’s the puff and dust that’s being picked up from either the quicks or the spinners. It shows it’s only going to get worse. It’s like a Day 3 pitch on Day 1 in India.

“You don’t want to see that. India could have been bowled out for 70.”

He added the visitors will struggle to chase down an 80-plus target in its fourth innings.

Indore Pitch: 'Not up to Test standards'

Former Australia opener Mark Waugh slammed the Indore Pitch and declared that "it was not up to Test Standard".

“That was mayhem. The pitch is not up to Test standard. The ball going through the top within the first 20 minutes of the Test match. That’s not good enough,” Waugh said on Fox.

“If the ball is going through the top in the first 20 minutes of a Test match off the main part of the pitch, that’s going to show the pitch is not up to Test standard.

“That’s the main part of the pitch on middle stump. That’s just not a pitch up to Test standard. That’s not good enough. It doesn’t matter how good a player you are, you’re going to need to get luck.”

A shocked Waugh conceded that the nature of the pitch does not even favour hosts India who are normally dominant on a spinning track where a batter can apply himself and spend time on it without depending on "luck".

“That surface does not favour India because it’s just luck involved. India are dominant on a pitch like we saw in the first two Tests. Where it suits the spinners, but as a batsman you can play on it.”

india-vs-australia-indore-pitch

Indore Pitch: Three-dayer and not a Test match

Matthew Hayden, who watched the surface from close quarters in Indore, could not believe his eyes when left-arm spinner Kuhnemann was introduced in the sixth over of the match.

“This is why I’ve got a problem with these conditions. There’s no way in the world that a spin bowler should come on in the sixth over,” Hayden said on Fox Cricket.

“4.8 degrees, that’s massive turn. That’s the sort of turn you’d expect day three. You’ve got to give batters a chance … Day one, day two should be about batting.”

“It shouldn’t be keeping low and turning a mile on day one”.

“Forget the result, don’t worry about if Australia win or lose or India win or lose, it shouldn’t be like that in Test match cricket,” he added.

The Aussie great opined that a Test match shouldn't be moving so fast and finishing inside three days. He also symathised with the fans of the purest form of the game.

“My point is that the Test should not be moving along this quickly,” Hayden said.

“You’re allowed to have a four, five day Test match. Otherwise call it what it is and we’ll just play three-dayers.

“The game moving at this pace, you feel sorry for the fans who try and work out what their tickets are going to be on day four.”

Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg also joined the bandwagon and joked, “One day test match anyone?”

Australia also lost four wickets on Day 1 and each of those wickets were picked by star India left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja. On Day 2 of the Test, pacer Mohammed Siraj bowled three overs at the start before spinners took over from both ends again.

Story first published: Thursday, March 2, 2023, 11:07 [IST]
Other articles published on Mar 2, 2023