Former England cricketer Mark Butcher has launched a strong critique of India’s recent approach to home Test pitches, calling the strategy “completely insane” and counterproductive. After India’s shock 30-run defeat to South Africa at Eden Gardens — their fourth loss in six home Tests, a rare slump not seen in over five decades — Butcher believes Gautam Gambhir’s management is unnecessarily “gambling” with conditions that should ideally tilt heavily in India’s favour.

Speaking to Wisden, Butcher argued that a team as complete and well-rounded as India should never be offering visiting sides an equal opportunity through extreme turning tracks. He highlighted that India currently “lead the way” in every major parameter: elite batting depth, world-class fast bowlers, and spinners that remain the envy of international cricket. Yet, in his view, the pitches being prepared are undermining all those strengths.

“There’s one mental block left,” Mark Butcher said. “When you have home advantage, you do not need to play opposition on pitches that give them an equal chance.”

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He echoed a sentiment that has grown louder since New Zealand whitewashed India 3-0 last year — that flatter, more balanced surfaces actually favour top-quality attacks. At the same time, rank turners create a lottery where lower-skilled bowling units can compete.

“That style of game levels the playing field for the team that doesn’t have the same amount of skill,” he explained. “India can pick any number of fast bowlers. They have Bumrah, the best in the world. Their quicks were outstanding in England, and their spinners are unmatched. Yet they choose pitches where a fifty from Temba Bavuma in the third innings becomes enough to win a Test.”

Calling the strategy baffling, Mark Butcher insisted India should instead prepare surfaces with natural bounce, carry, and gradual deterioration — conditions where their superior skill sets would overwhelm most opponents across five days.

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“My advice would be to play on pitches that break up naturally over a game,” he added. “Why roll the dice on something where losing the toss puts you at a disadvantage? It completely baffles me, and it has for the last three or four years.”

Butcher’s comments add further weight to the ongoing debate about India’s home tactics as they try to rediscover their once-unshakeable dominance.