Former English spinner, Monty Panesar reckons that the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad did not deserve the Test match as the game ended in just a couple of days. He also added that the International Cricket Council should dock India’s points if the pitch looks similar in the fourth Test. India had managed to register a 10-wicket win over England within two days in the pink-ball Test.
The match saw both India and England batsmen failing to stay much longer on the failing to shine and getting out to balls that didn’t turn and skidded through from the spinners. Talking about the pitch during an interaction with ANI, Monty Panesar said, “It was like playing club cricket on a Saturday in England.”
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He further added, “I think being the biggest stadium in the world, Narendra Modi Stadium deserves longer Test matches because people want to see how good the wicket is, you look at the stadium, beautiful views, and what an amazing stadium India has produced. It does not deserve a two-day Test match that’s under 900 balls, you might just play on a park if you are going to play this type of cricket.”
When asked whether ICC should take note of the kind of wicket produced in the third Test, Panesar said that ICC should dock India’s points if the pitch in the next Test match is the same. He reckons that the curator should have produced a good wicket.
Explaining the same, Monty Panesar said, “If you are going to produce a turning wicket, at least the match should go for 3-3.5 days. India will probably produce a turning pitch, at least it should last for three days. I think ICC will pass on this one because it was played with a pink ball. To be honest with you, I can believe what the players from both teams are saying. If you bowl it slowly, the pink ball goes quicker of the surface.”
Panesar also eluded to the fact that England is immensely dependent on skipper Joe Root and the hosts know that if they dismiss Root, then the England side would easily crumble.
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If India manages to win or draw the final Test against England, then the team would qualify for the finals of the World Test Championship (WTC) and the side would take on New Zealand in the summit clash. England is now out of the WTC final contention after losing the third Test against India.
