Watched SA vs AUS series, When I woke Up On The 3rd Day, There Was No Cricket: Ravi Shastri On Nagpur Pitch Controversy

New Delhi: There has been a lot of debate surrounding the Nagpur pitch for the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test. Many Australian experts have accused India of doctoring the pitch. The images of the pitch went viral ahead of the match and if they are anything to go by, the pitch in Nagpur should be a rank-turner.

Amidst all the negativity in the Australian media around the Nagpur pitch, former India coach Ravi Shastri has given a mouth-shutting reply to experts complaining about the pitches in India.

“If the ball is going to turn, so be it. We never complained about pitches, it’s home conditions, do what suits you. I watch SA vs AUS series, it was great, when I woke up on the 3rd day, there was no cricket,” said Ravi on SEN cricket.

Ravi had earlier supported the calls to make pitches that turn from Day 1, saying that every team takes advantage of their home conditions. “I want the ball to turn from Day one! If you lose the toss, so be it. You want to see the ball turning a bit. Or something there for the bowlers on offer from Day one. It’s your strength. You’re playing at home. Capitalise on it,” he said in a press conference organised by Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Shastri had also given a befitting reply to Ian Healy who had accused India for making unfair pitches. “What Ian Healy said that Australia will have the advantage, a lot of that is based on what Australia has done at home. They’re not playing at home. They’re playing in India. Why anybody would think that India don’t start with an advantage, I don’t know.”

“There’s a lot of crap spoken about pitches. I believe no one other than the curator should have a say on what wickets are produced. I don’t think it should be up to the players, the manager, the coach, or anybody! You just produce a good pitch. Surely a curator has been a player and wants to produce a good pitch,” he stated.