"Did Not Have Any...": Sunil Gavaskar Explains Why India Opted For Turning Pitches vs Australia
Australia outplayed India in the third Test in Indore and won by nine wickets on a pitch, that had genuine help for spinners from the morning session of Day 1.
Batting great Sunil Gavaskar feels that India are making spin-friendly tracks as they don't have a quality fast-bowling unit at their disposal currently. The former India captain said that the hosts might have made more sporting wickets if star pacer Jasprit Bumrah was available to lead the bowling attack. Australia outplayed India in the third Test in Indore and won by nine wickets on a pitch, that had genuine help for spinners from the morning session of Day 1.
"Taking 20 wickets is not going to be easy in India. On a lot of Indian pitches, without your ace bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami and a slightly inexperienced Mohammed Siraj, I don't think that bowling attack is such (strong). But with a little bit of help from a dry pitch, India can probably take 20 wickets. I think that is the thinking behind preparing such pitches," Gavaskar said on India Today.
With a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final up for grabs, Gavaskar added that India had no other option but to produce rank turners in the series.
"For India to reach the World Test Championship Final, they did not have any other options (than producing turning tracks). If you would have had a strong attack, maybe you could have done something different but your strength is your spinners and therefore I think these pitches are being made. You do not want a flat pitch where the batters go out and dominate. These pitches are testing the temperament of the batters," he added.
India Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team
Sunil Gavaskar
Rohit Sharma