Less than a week before the start of the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Test series, former Australia cricketer and presently a broadcaster, Ian Healy, has taken a massive dig at BCCI pertaining to pitches while making his prediction for the contest between India and Australia. And while veteran spinner R Ashwin had an epic reaction to Healy's remark, legendary India coach John Wright gave a mouth-shutting reply to the former cricketer.
In his interaction on 'SENQ Breakfast', Healy said that Australia could have the edge in the Test series if India produce "fair wickets", but will fail on "unfair" conditions.
"I think if they produce fair Indian wickets, that are good batting wickets, to start with, (that) probably spin and spin pretty consistently but spin a long way, late in the match … we (Australia) win. I'm worried about (Mitchell) Starc and (Nathan) Lyon in the first Test … if they're unfair wickets which I've seen in the last series, where balls were jumping ridiculously and sliding down low from day one, I think India play those conditions better than us," he said.
Taking to Twitter in response to Healy's remark, Wright opined that home countries have the right to produced pitches best suited for them and that there is nothing “unfair” in it.
{{/usCountry}}Taking to Twitter in response to Healy's remark, Wright opined that home countries have the right to produced pitches best suited for them and that there is nothing “unfair” in it.
{{/usCountry}}"Countries playing at home are entitled to produce pitches to suit their own team. That's not unfair it's what makes Test cricket great #INDvsAUS #ianhealy," Wright tweeted.
The Border-Gavaskar Test series will begin from February 9 onwards in Nagpur. Both the teams will have their eye on the spot for the World Test Championship final. Australia presently stand in favourable position as they lead the points table, but a 4-0 whitewash could see them fall to the third spot and concede their chances of making the final. India, who stand third in the table, will have to win a minimum of three matches to guarantee themselves a position in the final.