India vs England 2020-21, 3rd Test (D/N): Captains come up with contrasting views on Ahmedabad pitch

The third Test between India and England was a day-night affair, which got over within just a couple of days. As a result, the Ahmedabad pitch has drawn critics and experts' flak, mostly from the Englishmen. Meanwhile, the pitch could also be rated 'poor' by ICC.

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Motera, First Published Feb 26, 2021, 5:25 PM IST

India and England were scheduled to be involved in an exciting clash in the third day-night Test for the Anthony de Mello Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. However, it turned out to be an utter disappointment, with one-way traffic going India's way, as the host won the game within just a couple of days.

Following the game, criticisms were high regarding the quality of the pitch at the venue, hosting its first international game in nine years. While there are reports that the track could be rated 'poor' by the International Cricket Council, both sides' captains have contrasting views on the same.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli defended the pitch by saying, "A very good pitch to bat on - especially in the first innings - and it felt like the ball was coming on nicely with the odd-ball turning. It was just, I would say, below-par batting from both teams. Our bowlers were much more effective and that's why we got the result."

Meanwhile, English skipper Joe Root termed the wicket as the most challenging one. "It sums up the wicket up slightly. If I'm getting five wickets on there, then you can tell it is giving a fair amount of spin. It's nice to contribute, but disappointing it's in a losing cause," he told Star Sports.

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"It was a very challenging surface. We are bitterly disappointed we have missed an opportunity more in that first innings than anything. Having been 70-odd for two, we had a real chance. In hindsight, if we had even got 200, that would have been a very good score on that wicket and the game would have been completely different," he said during the press conference, reports ESPNCricinfo.

Meanwhile, former English skipper Alastair Cook disagreed with Kohli, as the former felt like the captain was protecting the groundsmen. "Virat Kohli's come out and defended the wicket almost as if it's a BCCI thing - it cannot possibly be the wicket. Yet, it was so hard to bat on that today. So hard," he told Channel 7, reports CI.

Even Cook was supported by his former partner, Andrew Strauss, who told Channel 7, "Look at Joe Root for a moment. We know he is a great player of spin. He is in great form as well. What did he get - 19 today? Might have been out two or three times en route to getting that score. And by the way, that's day two of a Test match. To say the pitch has no fault to play, I totally agree with Cooky. Kohli's looking after the groundsmen there to a certain degree."

However, former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar too defended the pitch by saying that although it was challenging, it wasn't insuperable, as the English felt. "It was a challenging pitch, no question about it because the odd ball was turning, the other ones were coming straight. So, how to keep your mind strong about hoping the variation was the key. India showed, particularly in the second innings, and even when Rohit Sharma batted in the first innings, that they could do it. On a pitch like this, not every batsman is going to be successful, but even if two are successful, and, in India's case, both times, it was Rohit Sharma, who really was the difference between the two teams," he told Star Sports.

Last Updated Feb 26, 2021, 5:25 PM IST