"Do We Play On Different Pitch?": R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma Take Brutal Dig At Australia
India captain Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin took a swipe at Australia following the 'pitch talk' that dominated headlines during the Nagpur Test between the two sides.
The Indian cricket team secured a thumping victory over Australia in the opening Test of the 4-match series in Nagpur, beating the tourists by an innings and 132 runs. The match saw India completely outplay the Aussies in all departments of the game. While the victory was truly historic for the hosts, the chatter around the nature of the pitch did make the ardent fans of the game a little sad. After the conclusion of the match, however, Ravichandran Ashwin and Rohit Sharma didn't shy away from taking a dig at the Australians for the 'pitch talk', that started days before the first Test had begun.
In a video shared on BCCI.TV, Rohit and Ashwin discussed a number of topics, including the 'pitch talk' by Australian cricketers, fans, and former stars, as well as their media.Â
Ashwin took a dig at Australia, asking Rohit during the chat if the visitors batted on a different wicket altogether.
"Pitch talk is the real favourite topic on social media, especially for touring teams. When you were batting or they were batting, not one ball nicked off and went to silly points. You guys did not look in trouble. What is the secret? Is it good batsmanship or do we play on a different pitch?" Ashwin asked Rohit.
Milestones, match-winning contributions and some special praise for @imjadeja!
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Interview Special from Nagpur, ft. #TeamIndia captain @ImRo45 & @ashwinravi99 - By @RajalArora
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In response, the India skipper admitted that the entire 'pitch talk' made him sad as the Nagpur wicket got more attention than the skills of the players.
"Same pitch. Like I said, the talk we have in the changing room, it is about your ability and what you can do on the pitch. It's beyond my understanding why there is so much talk about pitch. Sad to see there is not enough talk about skills," Rohit said in reply.
The victory gives India a 1-0 lead in the 4-match series. But, with three more games to go Australia have enough chances to learn from their mistakes and make a comeback.
India Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team
Ravichandran Ashwin
Rohit Sharma