The Border Gavaskar Cup Test series between India and Australia started in Nagpur on February 9. India entered the field with the aim of winning at least 3 matches and qualifying for the 2023 Test Championship final. On the other hand, because the chance of the final has already been assured, Australia entered the field with the intention of defeating India, who defeated them for the first time in their home soil in 2018/19 and 2020/21, this time on their home soil and winning the series after 2004.
But even before hitting the field in 2017, Australians from Steve Smith to Ian Healy started a war of sledging, criticizing the fact that a kind of pitch had been laid in the practice matches and a favorable ground for spin in the premier matches. Indians like Gavaskar retorted that you are not fit to talk about India, who made a pitch with green grass at the Gaba last month and defeated South Africa in 2 days.
Diluted Stain:
More than that, the Australian team, including Steve Smith, who scrutinized the pitch set up in Nagpur very seriously, again criticized that the pitch was deliberately made dry on both sides in order to attack the left-handed batsmen in their batting line with left-arm spinners. In the match that started in that condition, the Indian spinners made good use of the Nagpur pitch, which rotated only 2.9 degrees for them, and bowled out Australia for 177 and 91 in less than 2 innings to win by an innings and 132 runs.
But Australia suffered a heavy defeat as veterans like Nathan Lyon, apart from Todd Murphy, failed to make an impact on the Australian spinners who did not use good variations on the Nagpur pitch, which gave them 3.4 degrees too much spin. Also, India, who scored 400 runs at the same ground and performed tremendously in batting, belied all the allegations of Australia about the Nagpur pitch.
Therefore, despite being the number one team in the world, the Indian fans are making noise as usual against Australia, who have only spoken with their mouths instead of actively speaking. In this case, the former South African legend Dale Steyn criticized Australia in the process of actively exploring the Nagpur pitch for the Mutti match. Here is what he posted about it:
“A quick question for you cricket fans. That is, how does one want to read the character of the pitch? Do you kneel down and almost sniff the pitch, or do you generally stand close to the pitch and observe how it feels? Did it (watching a batting match) really help you at the end?” he implicitly urged Australia to lie down and examine the nature of the pitch next time.
He further explained how he understood the nature of the pitch in his time as follows. “Believe it if you believe it. In most matches in my time I don’t look at how the pitch looks. Instead I will see for the first time how I am going to bowl or bat on that pitch. Also, I will see what length to bowl.”
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“I didn’t see it to be honest. Because I was afraid of what I would see. So I figured I’d get it regardless of what was made. And I had great players on my team to guide me on how to be awesome at it. Anyway, everyone sleep well.”