Gautam Gambhir Reacts To Yuvraj Singh’s Controversial Tweet On Ahmedabad Pitch
Mar 2, 2021 at 11:36 AM
Gautam Gambhir, former Indian cricketer has said that off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin doesn’t ask for spinning wickets and with tracks like those, the off-spinner has added pressure of delivering in the match.
Gautam Gambhir added that wickets have been the same for everyone but it’s the newly introduced DRS that may have helped former spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh get to 1,000 and 700 wickets respectively, referring to former cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s tweet.
Gautam Gambhir: Team Management Asks For Turning Tracks Not Ravichandran Ashwin And DRS Plays A Massive Role Nowadays
Gautam Gambhir insists that it’s the duty of the team management to ask for turning tracks besides adding on the same breadth that the Decision Review System nowadays plays a huge role, particularly in India.
“From that point of view, I do agree with Yuvraj Singh, but from the point of view that had they played on these kinds of pitches, probably not. Because see, wickets have been the same for everyone. Ashwin doesn’t ask for these kinds of wickets, it’s the team managment that asks for it. And when you prepare such wickets, Ashwin is under more pressure to deliver,” Gautam Gambhir said on the ‘Runorder’ show on ESPNCricinfo when asked if he agrees with Yuvraj’s tweet.
“Yes, wickets are different today but DRS today plays a huge role. Had there been DRS when Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh was bowling, Kumble would have gone to 1000 wickets and Harbhajan would have got around 700 wickets because DRS plays a massive role especially in India where there are a lot of inside edges, or bat pads and stuff,” Gautam Gambhir added.
Earlier, Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s off-spinner said he has the utmost respect for former left-handed batsman Yuvraj Singh and that he did not find any issues in the former 2011 World Cup winner’s viral tweet after the 3rd pink-ball Test was over within 2 days in Ahmedabad.
Ravichandran Ashwin, while speaking to the press on Saturday, said he did not find anything wrong or any hidden agenda in former batsman Yuvraj Singh’s tweet that took a jibe at the Motera pitch.
Ravichandran Ashwin: One Needs To Get Over Complaining About The Pitch And Hope For Good Cricketing Action
As many as 30 wickets fell inside 2 days as India took a 2-1 lead in the 4-match Test series by defeating England by 10 wickets in the Ahmedabad Test at the newly built biggest cricket stadium-Narendra Modi Stadium. Very recently, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had counter-questioned an England journalist who wanted to know his views on the pitch debate.
“Who defines what a good surface is? Ashwin had asked.
In the same press conference, he had asserted that people should get over the talks about the surface and should just hope for a good cricket match.
“The bowler wins the game, the batsmen need to bat well to score runs. Who defines what a good surface is? The seam on the first day, then bat well in the next couple of days and spin on the last two days, come on, who makes these rules? We need to get over it and if you are asking whether the pitch in the third Test was a good surface, I do not see any players of England coming out and complaining. You should be hoping for a good cricket match, not the surface,” Ashwin added.
As the Ahmedabad Test match, venue of the 3rd Test, ended in 2 days, the pitch became a subject of intense scrutiny. Although Indian captain Virat Kohli and his English counterpart Joe Root refused to point fingers at the pitch for the early finish, several former cricketers, including Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook, and Andrew Strauss, have criticized the wicket on offer.
Notably, Ravichandran Ashwin led the defence of the pitch that was on offer for the 2nd Test in Chennai by hitting a ton in the second innings which saw India winning by a massive 317 run margin.