Former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha lashed out at the critics who have been slamming the pitch conditions at Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, and said that if the Test finishes in 2 or 3 days in seaming conditions, that's fine but the moment it starts turning and bouncing, that's when you say its not a 5-day wicket.
Team India on account of Akshar Patel’s 6-wicket-haul bowled out England for just 112 runs in their first innings, in response to which hosts collapsed from 99/3 to 145 all out to take a 33-run first-innings lead.
However, Virat Kohli led side came out all guns blazing in the second innings as they bowled out the visitors for 81 runs before sauntering to their 49-run target without losing a wicket.
The third Test match lasted just around five sessions following which many cricket experts and former players yet again criticized the pitch conditions.
Talking about the same, former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha slammed the critics about the pitch at Motera Stadium.
"Please talk about Stuart Broad's 8 for 15, the wicket that he was bowling on in that match. What kind of a wicket was that? If the Test finishes in 2 or 3 days in seaming conditions where there is grass that's absolutely fine. But the moment it starts turning and bouncing, that's when you say its not a 5-day wicket or a Test-match wicket,” Pragyan Ojha told Starsports.
Ojha said a Test match involves a test of the skills of participants, irrespective of the type of pitch.
"Definition of a Test match is - you have to be tested on any surface. It is not written that you will be tested on seaming track and not on tracks which is assisting the spinners,"
Pragyan Ojha further credited Akshar Patel and R Ashwin for bowling stump to stump line and added that Indian bowlers were focused on the same line and got the results.
“Our bowlers were brilliant but if you see the line and length, every ball that Ashwin and Axar were bowling it was hitting the stumps. When you're playing on a turning or seaming track, when you see the ball jumping and turning, it is easy for you to get distracted.
“But our bowlers, they focussed on the line and length, that's when you get the LBW and that's when the ball which turns away or comes in will be more effective," he concluded.
With a comprehensive 10-wicket win in the third Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Team India knocked England out of the race to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship final.
(Sports Today inputs)
