Blame the batting, not pitch, says Ashwin

[Mosher]

Ashwin rightly saying that the wickets which fell on day 1 where more to do with poor batting and not due to the pitch. Elgar was already whining yesterday about the pitch.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-south-africa-2015-16/content/story/937757.html

Ashwin has hit back at the criticism of the pitch in Mohali, which South Africa batsman Dean Elgar had described as "not a very good cricket wicket" after 12 wickets had fallen on the first day. Ten more fell on the second day, but batsmen did show batting was possible on the pitch, which has offered a lot of sideways turn but not alarming bounce. Sunil Gavaskar had said in his pitch report that he "had never seen before" such a day-one pitch in Mohali.

"I think it's very important to bowl good pace on this wicket," Ashwin said after his five-wicket haul gave India the lead after they had squandered the toss advantage by getting bowled out for 201. "I have not seen any batsman defending and get out apart from the one that happened to [M] Vijay, where he thrust forward, defended and got out." Cheteshwar Pujara, too, got out defending in the first innings, but the larger point was taken.

None of Ashwin's five wickets came because of alarming misbehaviour from the pitch. Stiaan van Zyl offered no shot to a topsinner, which Ashwin got to come back in to the left-hand batsman. Dean Elgar slog-swept and was beaten in the air by the dip. Ditto Hashim Amla, who looked to charge at him. Dane Vilas got out sweeping, and Imran Tahir is a tailender. "To bowl [on this pitch] it's all about how it's coming out of your hand," Ashwin said. "For me it's coming out really well. So I don't think I require much turn from any pitch at this point of time."

Ashwin went on to compare the perceived reaction to green tops when India are touring outside Asia. "Honestly I think it's the batting that makes the wicket look what it is," Ashwin said. "I don't know if any Indian journalist knows the name of the curator in Johannesburg or Port Elizabeth, but we seem to get a hang of Daljit Singh [the curator in Mohali] very quickly. None of us go to South Africa and say the wicket is green, this much grass is less green at the bottom. I don't hear any such statements, but unfortunately here the first day some of my good friends came and said the wicket is a little drier and stuff. We have played way too long in Mohali to know how the wicket works."

Ashwin's words were keeping in line with Virat Kohli's emotions in the lead-up to the Test. "When someone comes to play here, there is a lot of focus on the pitch," Kohli said. "It is unfair to say that it spins a lot or that it is slow. When we go abroad, I don't think there is a single article about the pitch. We go there and take up the challenge. The other teams also have to take up the challenge."

It was not clear whose criticism Ashwin and Kohli were responding to, but it was true that day one did not feature great batting. The three Indian specialist batsmen that fell to spin on the first day did so because they did not reach the pitch of the ball, not because the ball kicked at them. However, there was sideways turn available on the first morning itself, and balls did keep low.

It is not accurate, though, that Indian players do not complain about perceived green tracks away from home. After India lost 4-0 in Australia, Gautam Gambhir and Kohli were two of the players to complain about the "green tops" while Australia scored heavily in every match. It was duly reported too.

[tweaker]

Dhawan now will not be able to bat on flatest of wickets.Vijay,Pujara,ABD has shown how to bat on such pitches

 

[adi B]

Rightly said,if the score was 300-2 ,people would have pounced upon the bowlers and criticized them heavily but when the batsmen fail,conveniently criticize the pitch!!

[rkt.india]

If South Africans want to see dust bowls, they should go to Rajkot and play at the old stadium. Even Pujara couldn't score there. Scoring 100 was a big deal. And Jaddu took 37 wickets in 3 games.

[G_B_]

spot on. some of the shots were lose. I dont think Shikar will score much even on the flattest of beds considering the form he is in.

[cric_fan]

I guess Shastri is happy with this tailor made pitch?

[Laaloo]

I guess Shastri is happy with this tailor made pitch?

yes he is except for pakis like you

[sensible-indian]

Been saying its the batsmen and not the pitch for 2 days.

[Silva]

People are in denial if they think this pitch isn't a dustbowl, did you guys see harmer sweeping all the dust off the pitch while the Indian batsman started laughing in amazement? You guys really think that didn't have anything to do with the low scores of 201 and 184? Or the fact that Vijay and devilliers the two most skilled players are the only ones to score 50s in the first 2 innings? (devilliers needed 2 chances too.) 

Not that their is anything wrong with these kind of pitches as long as it doesn't become too dangerous to bat on with too much variable bounce. 

 

 

Edited November 6, 2015 by Silva

[cric_fan]

People are in denial if they think this pitch isn't a dustbowl, did you guys see harmer sweeping all the dust off the pitch while the Indian batsman started laughing in amazement? You guys really think that didn't have anything to do with the low scores of 201 and 184? Or the fact that Vijay and devilliers the two most skilled players are the only ones to score 50s in the first 2 innings? (devilliers needed 2 chances too.) 

Not that their is anything wrong with these kind of pitches as long as it doesn't become too dangerous to bat on with too much variable bounce. 

 

 

You could have a dust storm with this...that's how bad it is. Very dangerous.

[Laaloo]

 

You could have a dust storm with this...that's how bad it is. Very dangerous.

Get the fuck outta here. This pitch is no way dangerous. A dangerous pitch is where a ball just shoots off a good length. Some balls are staying low. That is not a dangerous pitch paki. Jeez

[Silva]

The ball is consistently loosing too much pace after bouncing to be considered a dangerous pitch. Variable bounce factor isn't that high either.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Silva

[sensible-indian]

Dust in the pitch means it can theoretically be called a dustbowl BUT pitches with dust don't automatically mean ball starts spitting and turning sharp (like rank turners).

Here the spin is slow mixed with some patches (that are hard to hit) which cause big spin. Old ball spins more. Tough pitch but no treacherous track. You can go and watch the last 2 day's highlights (big ones) to see that this pitch (atleast as of now) ain't a rank turner nor is it exhibiting rank turner tendencies. 

What's a rank turner then you may ask?

Go to Mumbai Eng 2012 or Delhi Aus 2013. Those were rank turners.

By the way, even cricinfo article now calls today a slow spin track based on what happened today.

In the big first exchange in a big series, India's batsmen seemed to have dropped the ball, but they can be thankful Ashwin was there to pick it up. For good measure he made it dip and turn sharply on a surface that is offering slow turn.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-south-africa-2015-16/content/story/937753.html

How it will break up from now will be interesting to see.

Edited November 6, 2015 by sensible-indian

[adi B]

 

You could have a dust storm with this...that's how bad it is. Very dangerous.

far better than the uae roads where pcb try to shield your pathetic,weak batsmen because they know by creating a spinning track,opposition will destroy your pathetic line up (tahir,herath,craig and even rashid already did lol) .