How are bouncy and pacey tracks classified as fair play and slow tracks as unfair play? How is pace bowling elite and spin bowling second rate? Many Australian ‘legends’ and the media are commenting like this when the Border-Gavaskar series is about to start tomorrow. It is an ancient narrative. Or pitches that favor pace bowling are fair and pitches that favor spin bowling are unfair. While the spin-friendly track is being prepared for the matches in the Indian subcontinent, the critics are equally lauding the pace-friendly tracks in England and Australia. (spin pace bowling debate)
The other day, Australia’s former wicketkeeper and legend Eyal Healy said, ‘Australia will win the series if unfair pitches are not prepared’. Healy went on to explain the word unfair. ‘Balls stuck from day one or Australia will win the series.’ India won the last Border – Gavaskar Trophy in Australia on ‘fair’ pitches in Healy’s terms. Former Aussie pace legend Jason Gillespie was also concerned about the ‘unfairness’ of spin pitches.
Read Also: Border – Gavaskar Trophy from tomorrow; A hint that the spinners may control the game
It is the home team’s right to claim advantage in home matches. They will prepare pitches accordingly. Pitches in the Indian subcontinent will support spin and pitches in Australia will support pace. Australia lost the T20I series 4-1 in Bangladesh and it was embarrassing. They lost to India at the Gabba, the pace heaven. Should learn to knock when facing spinners, heh. Challenging situations make a player better.
One of the best innings in the history of Test cricket, 241 not out without cover drives in the fourth Test of the same series, would not have come from that bat if Australia had not used the outside-off-stump strategy against Tendulkar. Had it not been for India’s embarrassment of being bowled out for 36 in pace paradise Adelaide, perhaps without Virat Kohli, Bumrah, Ashwin and Jadeja, a bowling attack led by Mohammad Siraj would not have captured the Gabba and won the epic series. Adversities make heroes. Challenges sharpen people’s skills. Take on challenges. Put aside the white supremacy that pace bowling is elite.
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