Call that a pitch? With sponsors in short supply for this Test series, the BCCI erred by not looking to Rajasthan’s quarries. Some countries use drop-in pitches. Ahmedabad presumably used a slab of marble that was then painted a dull brown. On it, 21 wickets fell in five days, including eight in the final nine sessions. Most of those dismissals were boredom induced, with batsmen finally tiring of taking candy from babies. Seven centuries were scored and while there were three or four great batsmen on view, not one will make a list of all-time-great innings.
Whine all you like about Test crowds, but who’d spend good money to watch this kind of rubbish? The days of one TV channel are long gone, and Indians have better things to do with their time than watch boring Test cricket. It’s not as though the BCCI’s incapable of producing result-oriented pitches. The 2001 series against Australia was one for the ages. The 2004 one wasn’t half bad either. But over the past five years, this is the 11th draw in 24 Tests. Just not good enough, and a poison pill for a form of the game that’s already threatened by the relentless advance of Twenty20.
Who are the 4 great batsmen? I know 2, and with a stretch a 3rd
Rahul and Sachin – unqualified greats
Mahela – might become one though it would be a stretch knowing his record so far outside sub continent
Who is the fourth who can even be considered? Dilshan? Gambhir? Dhoni? Prasanna?
Puts the bowling in its proper perspective, doesnt it? Navel gazing, anyone?
Cheers,
By the by, when a result oriented wicket was rolled out at Kanpur in 2008, the BCCI was issued a show cause notice by the ICC because the pitch “turned beyond acceptable levels” – this despite the Test lasting 9 sessions and India topping 300 in thier first essay.
So pray tell me, where is the incentive for a curator to prepare anything remotely close to a result wicket? If he does, there is the loss of revenue to be borne by the home association and the home Board plus there is the risk of the ICC coming down hard on him ( including a 2 year ban on the venue).
And then there are the stated views of the ICC Pitches Manager.
In an atmosphere like this, why would anyone rock the boat ( unless you are Headingley and the Test gets over in under 7 sessions and is hailed as the best thing to happen since sliced bread)!
Cheers,
Can’t agree more with Homer ! “Pitches are like wives. You never know which way they turn”. Even accepting this Sidhuism, still 11 in 24 tests with hardly may be 2 (the first tests against Pak & Aussies) being interesting draws is a damning indictment on BCCI. But the worser crime was scheduling. Had this been a sunday, one would have expected some more to turn up to watch Indian batsmen. I hope someone passses a law that test matches should include the weekend compulsorily.
11 draws out of 24 is a damning statistic, no matter how we look at this. If the ICC censured BCCI for having a spinning pitch, certainly BCCI with all its clout can fight that. I think that’s a lame excuse to hide behind. BCCI’s approach to test cricket is an open secret. Just look at the number of scheduled test matches for India in the next two years!
Homer, just adding to what ABC said, the BCCI managed to get rid of an umpire in the middle of a series. If you’re saying that they can’t fight their corner when it comes to turning pitches, I find that very hard to swallow. It basically comes to down will. Do they WANT Test cricket to flourish, or are they happier making a killing from ODIs and T20?
Incidentally, I did write a piece about the Ahmedabad pitch of 2005 after Lloyd had criticised it. I thought it was a great Test. First innings score of 398 and a fifth-day finish. Every pitch should be like that.
Without wanting to defend the BCCI, I can understand their perspective, test cricket doesn’t make money nor does this series has no particular meaning in world terms (regardless of the rankings, there will be no great clamour to proclaim India as the world no. 1 if they beat Sri Lanka at home). The only way test cricket does make money is if it goes for 5 days, so that is what they ensure happens.
They are all symptoms of the same root cause: a lack of defining narrative for why test cricket is being played. A test championship would help. Drawing a home test would not be considered acceptable if every game counted for something (it means you need to win away instead). But maybe I’m just getting cynical (or tired and ground down by the relentless international schedule).
Dileep,
With respect, you should know better than most that “BCCI managed to get rid of an umpire in the middle of a series” did not haappen in a vacumn.
As early as the 2007 Pakistan series in India, the BCCI had expressed its reservation to the said umpire officiating in the series.
Sydney was the proverbial last straw that broke the camels back.
And it came on the back of a firestorm back home, so public opinion had a huge role to play in driving the BCCI to action.
Where exactly is the push for “better” pitches? And who is driving it? Its definately not the ICC!
For all of the ICC’s “we only give guidelines and are hands off”, the ICC Match Referee is required to fill a day by day report on the Pitch and outfield conditions wherein there are “guidelines” for what a “good” wicket is – subjective to the Match Referee’s discretion!
Can the BCCI make better wickets – sure.. After all, it is probably the only Board in world cricket that does not look at Test Cricket as its main source of income. And it can actually afford three day tests unlike England or Australia. But will it pass muster from the ICC Match Referee?
When the same match referee deems Ahmedabad a good wicket and Kanpur bad, despite both matches ending within 3 days, the question remains- where does the culpability lie?
By the by, a rain affected Test match finished within 3 days at Lords this year, without drawing any adverse comments from the Match Referee despite 30 wickets falling in the period.
So what gives?
Cheers,
And to answer your question on “If you’re saying that they can’t fight their corner when it comes to turning pitches” – why should they?
They are making thier money irrespective of whether the match ends in a draw or a result, the TRP ratingss for the B-G Trophy of 2008 at home were very high, Nimbus reported an increase in ad revenues to the tune of 114 crores for the series.
And they have bigger battles to fight with the ICC.
The ICC has a Cricket Committee and a Pitches Manager who is responsible for the wickets for ICC tournaments and that did not prevent the ICC from criticizing the curators for the wickets rolled out for the 2006 Champions Trophy!
Cheers,
I don’t think the ICC has anything like the muscle to take action against any particular venue. And I’m pretty sure the BCCI knows it too.
As for why they should bother, well…if my rough arithmetic is right, around 700,000 people, if not more), watched the Australia series of 2001 from the stands. In the last three or four years, it’s been a steady decline, and a lot of the blame goes to the pitches. Most people come to see a contest, not endless batting records.
Your complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Another shocker of a pitch!!!!
A fourth day finish beckons.. What are the odds the Kanpur wixket will get censured by the match referee for whatever the match referee can dream of?
And if the match ends in 4 days with a censure, what are the odds that Kanpur wont host a Test again in the near future, thanks to the ICC?
Also, 40,000 people for 5 days of the first Test of the Australian summer – and 300+ runs scored at the end of the first day of the Gabba Test – the decline in the quality of Test quality pitches is not an Indian malaise alone!
Cheers,