(Reuters) – Batsman Rohit Sharma took aim at critics who complained about the Chennai pitch in the second test against England, saying India were well within their rights to prepare a surface that assists spin.
India won the second test by 317 runs to level the series at 1-1 after England struggled to negotiate spin on a track where Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin notched centuries in the first and second innings, respectively.
Former Australia batsman Mark Waugh called the pitch unacceptable while former England captain Michael Vaughan described it as a beach but Sharma said home advantage meant India could prepare a pitch to their liking.
“The pitch is the same for both teams, so I don’t know why there is so much discussion about it. Pitches have been prepared like this in India for years,” he told reporters yesterday ahead of the third test in Ahmedabad.
“Every side takes advantage of home conditions even when we travel… When we travel they (opponents) make our life difficult.
“We make pitches according to our preferences, that’s why it’s called home advantage. Otherwise take away home advantage and ask the ICC to make a rule to prepare the same pitches in India and outside India.”
Sharma’s 161 set the platform for India in the first innings even as the ball spun from the first session and kicked up dust on landing and the 33-year-old said it was a matter of application after reading the conditions.
“As a batsman, depending on the pitch, you prepare yourself. Players are picked to play based on their skillset and mindset to play in challenging conditions,” he added.
“There are chances you will fail but it doesn’t matter as long as you learn from that.
“We don’t complain about the pitch when we play outside India, we just move on and others should do the same. I would tell the experts to talk about the cricket and not the pitches.”
