Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC) for preparing such a pitch that was suited for bowlers in the just-concluded World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand at Ageas Bowl in Southampton as well. New Zealand thrashed India by eight wickets on the final day of the rain-affected Test match.
“This Test match was six days long, and out of that almost four days saw consistent rain and still it got over within 2.5 days. No one mentioned this that who gave the idea that such a pitch should be used for the World Test Championship final, where only the bowlers were visible but the batting side went invisible?,” asks Inzamam-ul-Haq on his YouTube channel.
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“I don’t understand is that for such a big game, how can you prepare such a pitch,” further added the former Pakistan captain.
However, Team India head coach Ravi Shastri and India captain Virat Kohli shared that a three-match affair should determine the winner instead of a one-off Test match in the World Test Championship as well.
“My advice is that you make it two Tests, devise a points system, play one game in New Zealand or whoever is the finalist and the other in India. The result would have come out fairer in that case. If it were like the World Cup, where every match is played in the same country including the final, then it was different. So, it is just my opinion that in the future, the finals should be on a home and away basis, hosted by both the finalists,” said Inzamam-ul-Haq.
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However, Team India will now play a five-match Test series against England in August as well. On the other hand, India’s opening batsman Shubman Gill has sustained a shin injury that has become serious and this could keep him out of the game for at least two months, a BCCI source has said to PTI on Thursday. Meanwhile, it was earlier reported that Gill is unlikely to feature in the upcoming five-match Test series against England which is all set to start in Nottingham from August 4.
