The recent spat between team India director and Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik took a new turn as Sunil Gavaskar spoke in favour of Shastri. Gavaskar, a highly respected figure within the Indian cricketing fraternity questioned the nature of the pitch and said that the home team should get a pitch as per their desire. Gavaskar also went on to support Shastri and said that his frustration over the lifeless wicket was completely justified.
“What’s wrong in the pitches suiting home teams? And when you do not get pitches to your liking there is bound to be frustration and sarcastic remarks may fly. But you should have control over your language. When there is disappointment there are words spoken that you regret later. While Ravi has denied using abusive language, but Sudhir said that he did so it is one person’s version versus the other,” Gavaskar told NDTV.
Gavaskar also was curious to know the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) response to the dismal pitch laid out for the fifth ODI. “It should also be found out that what did the Mumbai Cricket Association tell the curator. The team management can tell the state board how it wants the pitch and then it is conveyed to the curator, that’s how it works. And it’s not the first time that the team hasn’t got its pitch. That’s part of life, you lose a game, move on,” he said.
Gavaskar also made a valid point about utterly doctored wickets being laid down in Ranji Trophy. Gavaskar specifically pointed out towards the Saurashtra pitch, where the home side won three games within two days. “We have just had a case where Saurashtra has won three of its Ranji Trophy matches in two days with Ravindra Jadeja opening the bowling. He is turning the ball square, picking up, I think, 25 wickets in three matches, he is now in the Test team, Saurashtra are in the top of the order. “As soon as a team scores 600 or 700 an inspector should be sent to the ground and he should be asked to make a report.”
“And if he gives a negative report, which in Indian cricket will take a lot of guts to do then action needs to be taken against that particular association and it’s not necessarily in terms of fines, I think the best way would be to deduct the points. That will ensure not too many doctored pitches are given in domestic cricket,” Gavaskar concluded.