The India vs South Africa second Test concluded in less than five sessions, earning the title of the shortest Test match in history, raising concerns and questions about the quality of the pitch. On day one, a total of 23 wickets fell, with both teams being bowled out quickly. The match concluded in the second session of the second day, with only 107 overs bowled. Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma addressed the criticism surrounding the pitch, indirectly defending it while urging those who complain about spin tracks to keep their opinions to themselves.
In a post-match statement, Rohit Sharma expressed, “We all saw what happened in this Test match and how the pitch played. I honestly don’t mind playing on pitches like these. As long as everyone keeps their mouth shut and doesn’t talk too much about Indian pitches.”
He emphasized the challenging nature of such pitches, stating, “Because you come here to challenge yourself. Yes, it is dangerous. It is challenging. So, and when people come to India, it is again pretty challenging as well. Look, when you are here to play Test cricket, we talk about Test cricket, the ultimate prize, Test cricket being the pinnacle and stuff like that. I think it’s important that we also stand by it.”
Rohit Sharma also addressed the criticism often directed at Indian pitches, dismissing the characterization of them as dust bowls. He urged players to face the challenge rather than complaining about the conditions.
“When you are put up against a challenge like that, you come and face it. That’s what happens in India, but, in India on day one, if the pitch starts turning, people start talking about ‘Puff of dust! Puff of dust!’ There’s so much crack here on the pitch. People are not looking at that,” Rohit remarked.
Furthermore, Rohit Sharma emphasized the importance of neutrality in assessing pitches and criticized the inconsistency in pitch ratings. He urged match referees and cricket authorities, especially the ICC, to evaluate pitches based on the conditions and not on the country hosting the match.
“I think it’s important that we stay neutral everywhere we go. Especially the match referees. You know, some of these match referees need to keep their eye on how they rate pitches. It’s quite important. I still can’t believe that the World Cup final pitch was rated below average. A batsman got a hundred there in the final. How can that be a poor pitch? So these are the things the ICC, the match referees, they need to look into and start rating pitches based on what they see, not based on the countries. I think that’s quite important,” Rohit asserted.
Rohit Sharma expressed his support for challenging pitches like the one witnessed in the second Test against South Africa. However, he emphasized the need for a fair and neutral assessment of pitches by cricket authorities to maintain the integrity of the game.
