BCCI not to probe claims of Chepauk curator ignoring team instructions during England series: Report

The Chepauk curator was reportedly told by the then coaching staff to stop watering and rolling the pitch.

Amid the talks around the Chapauk track for India-England Test last year, a senior BCCI official on Monday (March 7) dismissed the reports that the curator had "deliberately" worked against the Indian team's interests in the opening Test.

Reports have surfaced that curator Taposh Chatterjee, who was in charge of the Chepauk track for the Test series opener, was told by the then coaching staff to stop watering and rolling the pitch.

As per the report, Chatterjee was instructed not to water and roll the pitch so that Chennai heat will enable it to crack up and the ball would start turning square from the first day.

Taposh Chatterjee reportedly didn’t follow the instructions of the team management and India suffered a heavy defeat in that Test match on a flat surface.

Notably, the second Test of 2021 series between India and England was also held in Chennai, where India levelled the series on a turning pitch and Chatterjee actually didn't prepare the pitch for that game.

However, and a senior official while speaking to PTI termed the allegations as "nonsense".

As per BCCI sources, there are no plans to carry any probe for a Test match India lost comprehensively before winning the next three to clinch the series 3-1.

"If anyone from the erstwhile team management were trying to force the curator to doctor the strip set to be used for a World Test Championship game, then they are the ones that should be probed," PTI quoted a senior official as saying.

(With PTI inputs)