India vs England: Monty Panesar wants ICC to deduct India's WTC points if wicket for fourth Test is the same

New Delhi, March 1: Former England spinner Monty Panesar has suggested the ICC should deduct Team India's points from the ICC Test Championship if the fourth Test match in Ahmedabad between India and England witnesses a track similar to the third Test which was held at the same venue.

As the third Test - which was a Day-Night affair with the pink ball - was wrapped up inside two days which the Virat Kohli-led side won by 10 wickets received a lot of flak from several former England cricketers. The pitch aiding spinners from the word go received criticism from the ex-cricketers for preparing such a track.

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Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss and David Lloyd blamed the Motera track which saw 28 of 30 wickets falling to spinners. Lloyd even suggested the ICC should cut India's WTC points for preparing such a track.

Panesar - who was part of the English side which won the Test series in India in 2012-13 - while interacting with news agency ANI has also backed Lloyd's suggestion.

Panesar said ICC probably would pass this one - due to the pink ball - but it should definitely penalize India if the same is repeated in the fourth and final Test.

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"I think if the next Test match is the same, then yes, the ICC should dock points. Everyone is delighted that cricket has now got the biggest stadium in the world now. At least the curator should have produced a good wicket, even if it's a turning wicket, everyone was complaining about Chennai, this was even worse," Panesar said.

The left-arm spinner further added that he has no problem with pitches assisting spinners but the Test match should last at least 3 or 4 days.

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"If you are going to produce a turning wicket, at least the match should go for 3-3.5 days. India will probably produce a turning pitch, at least it should last for three days. The Indian people are saying England batsmen cannot play spin very well, if you take that into account, Alistair Cook and Kevin Pietersen have scored runs here, Cook has got a record as good as Matthew Hayden in India. Pietersen did score quickly, do England have that? No, they do not," he added.

Elaborating his point further, Panesar stated: "I think ICC will pass on this one because it was played with a pink ball. To be honest with you, I can believe what the players from both teams are saying. If you bowl it slowly, the pink ball goes quicker off the surface. Let's see how the red ball reacts, let's see if India wins again within 3-3.5 days, India's argument is going to be we can produce spinning tracks but are England batsmen skill levels up to the levels it needs to be?"

Earlier on Sunday (February 28), Australia spinner Nathan Lyon slammed those criticising the Motera pitch, instead mocked England's team selection for their hammering and declared the spectacle on a sharply turning pitch in Ahmedabad to be "absolutely brilliant".

"We play on seaming wickets around the world and get bowled out for 47, 60. Nobody ever says a thing [about the pitch]," Lyon was quoted by cricket.com.au as saying.

"But as soon as it starts spinning, everyone in the world seems to start crying about it. I don't get it. I'm all for it, it was entertaining," he added further.

"The best thing about this Test match that just passed is that England went in with four seamers," Lyon said.

"That will do me. I don't need to say any more. I was up all night watching it. It was absolutely brilliant. I'm thinking about bringing that curator out to the SCG."